Pokemon Stars
by the-sleepy-dormouse
Summary: With fierce battles and aggressive trainers how will timid Yamaguchi Tadashi find his place in the Pokemon world. Traveling beside his best friend, Tsukishima Kei, hopefully he will find his calling and prove to himself and the world that he is more than just a shy boy from Poni Island. **This is a Tsukkiyama Pokemon Au fic.**
1. The Day We Met

Hello my dear readers. How are you all doing. As I've promised here is my Tsukkiyama Pokemon AU fic. As I did with my last fic, the Tsukkiyama mermaid au, I plan to post one chapter a week. When I am going to skip a week I will warn in the chapter prior. I tend to post chapters on Fridays or Saturday. I hope you will all enjoy this little fic. I do enjoy Pokemon so much and have always dreamed of making a pokemon AU fic for myself.

You will find out very soon that I am a very big fan of the Kalos region and that is the region this fill will mostly take place. Everything in this fic will be pulled from gen 1 to gen 7 content (the current gen). The vast majority of this Pokemon AU will be taken from the games with small influence from the anime (such as the league competition) but if you were to ask me what world this is from and it's history I would say it's more closely lined up with the game's canon with Red than with the Pokemon canon with Ash.

I may reference some characters from the Pokemon games and characters such an Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny as well as the professors will appear in this fic. Most characters from the Pokemon series will mostly play as background characters just to make it feel like it is really being set in the Pokemon world.

I am unsure how many of you are acquainted with all gens of Pokemon but I am going to write with the assumption those reading this are well enough acquainted with the Pokemon universe. You don't need to know anything about prior anime/game plots really but if you don't know what a Net Ball or a Luxury ball than you may need to reference wiki, though things like that don't really matter plot wise. Do let me know if you all feel like you need an explanation on Items or Pokemon in this fic and I can add some footnotes at the bottom for you.

I do plan on fiddling with the age of when a trainer goes out on journeys and how compitions work since the game/anime just kind of has 10 year olds battling 50 year olds in the league. If meddling with the anime system ain't your cup of tea than I am sorry. I will post a better explanation of how the league works in a later chapter.

As for the Tsukkiyama in this fic it is going to probably be very slow going. It won't be as to the point as my last fic. This fic will focus heavily on them as trainers and their growing love is more of a side dish. I call this a Tsukkiyama fic as a point for those who may not care for the ship (I for one LOVE IT). If you are looking for something that is solely focused on Tsukkiyama than take some time to read my mermaid AU as that is more of a traditional love sorry. This Pokemon AU fic is going to lean more towards adventure! HURRAY!

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or Haikyuu! Duh! (Do people even do this anymore?)

With all that being said I am very excited to debut my Pokemon AU Tsukkiyama fic! I hope you enjoy!

The Day We Met

"What a loser!" the cruel sneer of a young trainer echoed down the path of route 2. Three sickening cackles filled the air as a small freckled boy was pushed roughly into the dirt.

Several frightened Pikipek took flight from the nearby tall grass as Yamaguchi fell hard to the ground. Yamaguchi's small arms clamped desperately around his fainted Popplio as he did his best to protect his beloved partner from the beating of the bullies. As the sun set over the tropical ocean the three long shadows of Yamaguchi's tormentors surrounded him. Yamaguchi held Popplio close as he failed to muster up the courage to fight back.

"A freckled faced loser like you shouldn't be allowed a Pokemon!" one of the boy sneered as he kicked dirt into Yamagichi's face. Yamaguchi closed his eyes as the dirt made a direct hit. Some particles got into his mouth causing him to sputter.

"He couldn't even win a single battle! How long have you been traveling anyways?" laughed the third largest boy cruelly. "A loser like you shouldn't be called a trainer."

The boy's words were true and they cut deep as tears began to form in Yamaguchi's eyes. He and Popplio had been traveling for three days and all he had to show for it were these three bullies who wouldn't lay off.

"Look! He's going to cry," the first boy pointed out loudly, a wicked grin decorated his face.

"Not again," the second boy mocked as he loomed over Yamaguchi. "What a cry baby. Maybe if he cried enough it can wash away those freckles from his ugly face."

Tears trailed down Yamaguchi's cheeks as he looked to the three bullies afraid to make a move. This wasn't the first time he had run into them. The last time he had stood up for himself it had ended with several bruises and most of his money stolen. He held Popplio close as they kicked dirt in his general direction once more.

"We won this last battle so what are you going to give us this time, crybaby?" The largest of the boys sneered. Yamaguchi chose not to reply as he glared up at his bullies.

"If he doesn't have anything good on him than we should just take his Pokemon!" one of the bullies suggested as they closed in on Yamaguchi.

"Good idea," The larger bully growled. "I've always wanted a Popplio."

"No!" Yamaguchi squeaked, scooting away in a panic. With the bullies now surrounding him, Yamaguchi had nowhere to run.

"How pathetic," a dry voice cut through the warm tropical air.

"What! Who said that!" spat the largest of the three as they all stopped their pursuit on Yamaguchi, straightening up to see who the offender was. Yamaguchi glanced up hoping to get a look of his saviour.

Strutting over to the four boys was a blond boy who was much, much taller than any of them. He had a cocky smirk on his face as he closed in. The boys amber eyes studied the three bullies before making eye contact with Yamaguchi. A boy like this would have normally terrified Yamaguchi but at the moment Yamaguchi could not help but look to him for help.

"Who are you?" spat the largest bully as he sized the blond boy up.

"What's it matter to you?" The blond boy challenged as he loomed over Yamaguchi's bullies.

"A-are you looking for a fight?" one of the other bullies sneered, though his voice wavered a bit.

"Bring it!" the blond boy cooly replied without a three bullies resolve seemed to shatter as the blond boy took another step forward causing the size difference to show twofold.

"Y-You're lucky m-my P-Pokemon are t-tired!" the largest of the bullies stuttered as he backed off. The other two bullies looked to their friend in mild shocked before following suit.

"Such big talk for so little to show," the blond boy mocked.

Yamaguchi's eyes grew in amazement as the three bullies back off even more. The three boys looked simultaneously furious and terrified. The blond boy was simply amazing. Yamaguchi's eyes grew in awe as he looked at the snarky blond boy.

"You better watch your back, kid," one of the bullies spat none too threatening. With that the three turned tail and ran like cowards in the direction to route 3.

"Oh, I'm so scared," the blond boy called after before exploding into a condescending fit of laughter.

Still on the ground, Yamaguchi's eyes grew in utter awe as his saviour's laughter dies down. How had he been able to stand up to those bullies so easily? Yamaguchi wished more than ever to be as brave as this boy.

The blond boys sharp amber eyes shot to Yamaguchi, making direct eye contact with him. Still in awe Yamaguchi did not flinch as the tall boy took a few steps towards him. The two held their gazer for a long quiet moment. The sound of the rolling ocean could be heard in the distance as Yamaguchi felt something pass between himself and his saviour.

"You should get your Popplio to the Pokemon center," the blond boy pointed out flatly.

"Huh?" Yamaguchi gasped as he came back to reality. He still held his fainted Popplio tight in his arms. "Oh right," he said more to himself than to the boy.

Another quiet moment passed between the two before the blond boy turned on his heels and headed down the path towards Hau'oli City. Still in mild shock Yamaguchi sat dumbfounded. He wanted to call after the boy but his voice didn't seem to want to work right. With bated breath, Yamaguchi watched the boy disappear into the sunset.

It was the next day and Yamaguchi found himself returning to Hau'oli City's Pokemon Center. He had arrived there the night before just after dark. He had passed off his fainted Popplio to Nurse Joy who scolded him for allowing Popplio to stay fainted for so long. Yamaguchi hadn't the courage to tell her of his bullies, choosing to stay quiet as she told him off. She had than sent him away saying that his Popplio would be back to full health in the morning.

Yamaguchi had decided to head out in the morning to pick up one of Popplio's favorite treats, a fresh soft malasada. Though Yamaguchi had practically cried himself to sleep the night before, he found himself in slightly better spirits this morning. It was another sunny day on Melemele Island and Yamaguchi was anxious to see how Popplio was doing.

As he entered the Pokemon center he unconsciously grabbed the straps of his backpack and hunched his shoulders. If someone asked him why he would do such a thing he'd tell them because he didn't want to accidentally bump into someone. The reality was that he didn't want to draw attention to himself in case another aggressive trainer targets him as their next prey. To Yamaguchi's pleasure, the lobby of the Pokemon Center was none too crowded. Perhaps too early for most trainers to be up. Or maybe most trainers were already on the road onto their next adventure. Whatever the reason, Yamaguchi was grateful for the lack of people.

Ever so meekly Yamaguchi stepped into the Pokemon Center. Not wanting to disrupt the few people that did decorate the lobby, Yamaguchi delicately walked to the front counter. He looked to the floor, doing his best to avoid eye contact. In his diligence to stay unnoticed, he failed in noticing the person in front of him. Before he knew it he found himself bumping into something tall and soft.

"Ouch!" the object grumbled.

Yamaguchi felt a shiver run down his spine as he looked up to see who the individual might be. His eyes widened and his fear subsided upon seeing the blond boy from yesterday. The blond boy looked down on Yamaguchi in milde annoyance.

"It's you!" Yamaguchi gasped, pointing to the boy.

The boy's annoyance changed to confusion as he carried on staring at Yamaguchi.

"Yesterday! On route 2," Yamaguchi clumsily explained as panic began to build in the pit of his stomach. "Y-you chased off those bullies who were tormenting me…" he mumbled as he fiddled his fingers anxiously.

The blond boy looked long and hard at Yamaguchi, his expression still held a hint of surprise. "I don't remember you being there…" the boy shrugged.

Yamaguchi's anxiety was overtook by pure shock. Had his saviour really forgotten about him or was he just fibbing? Yamaguchi couldn't tell. He quickly shook off his shock as the boys looked to him in concern.

"W-well, I wanted to thank you anyways," Yamaguchi carried on shyly. "You really helped me out."

"Not a problem," The boy shrugged, seeming none too interested in the subject.

"M-My name is Yamaguchi…" Yamaguchi introduced himself as he fidgeted awkwardly. "Yamaguchi Tadashi," he clarified as his small hands fiddled with this backpack strap. He glanced up to the boy in hope of a reply.

"Tsukishima Kei," they boy flatly replied as he looked down at Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi could not tell if Tsukishima was even interested in the pleasantries. Regardless, Yamaguchi wanted to do his best to get to know his saviour.

"S-So, are you new to the Island Trials?" Yamaguchi awkwardly carried on.

"Yep, I just started a few days ago," Tsukishima replied with a shrug.

Yamaguchi perked up. He had thought the boy to be older than him but if he had just started then he must be the same age as himself. "That must mean you're 10 years old, too!" Yamaguchi unintentionally blurted out. He immediately put his hands to his mouth looking to Tsukishima with a sorry glance.

"That's when people start their trials around here, isn't it?" Tsukishima replied, not seeming bothered by Yamaguchi's awkward behaviour.

"Right," Yamaguchi smiled brightly as his nerves began to fade. "So are you from Melemele Island or do you come from somewhere else? I grew up on Poni Island, myself. I wasn't born there though. I was born on Akala Island but when I was still really young my family moved to Poni Island. It's my first time exploring Melemele Island all alone like this though," Yamaguchi rambled as his excitement at possibly making a new friend began to grow. He became aware of his rambling and smiled sheepishly at Tsukishima.

Tsukishima seemed a bit surprised by Yamaguchi's sudden bout of confidence but wasn't put off by it. "I actually just moved to Alola not too long ago," Tsukishima admitted, seeming lost at all the places Yamaguchi had rambled off about.

"You're not from Alola?" Yamaguchi gasped, his interest increasing twofold.

"No, my family moved here from Unova a few weeks ago," Tsukishima explained with a small smile. He seemed to enjoy the attention he was receiving from Yamaguchi.

"Unova! That's amazing!" Yamaguchi gasped, his voice high and breathy. "I've always wanted to visit Unova and see all the changing seasons!"

Tsukishima's smirk grew as he soaked up Yamaguchi's praise. "Yeah, it's a pretty great place. I even got my starter from there before I left to come here," Tsukishima practically puffed in pried as he said this.

"A Unova starter!" Yamaguchi gasped, the poor boy looked as if he was going to explode with amazement. "Which one!? Can I see it?!"

"Sure," Tsukishima shrugged though he still held a hint of a grin. He pulled a pokeball from his belt. He pushed the small white button at its center causing it to grow and with a flick of his wrist released the pokemon from within it.

A red light shot from the ball to the floor. Yamaguchi's eye grew with amazement as a green snake like pokemon with tiny arms and legs came into existence. The small green pokemon looked to Yamaguchi none too impressed.

"It's a Snivy!" Yamaguchi squealed in excitement as he bent down to be on level with Snivy. His large brown eyes grew as he took in a Snivy for the first time ever. The small green pokemon turned it's nose up at Yamaguchi but had a pompous smile that reminded Yamaguchi of Tsukishima.

"She warms up to new people slowly," Tsukishima shrugged, not really seeming sorry for Snivy's standoffish behaviour.

"She is so pretty! I've never seen a Snivy before. Wow she is so amazing," Yamaguchi rambled on, not really offended by Snivy's snooty behaviour. Side eyeing Yamaguchi, Snivy seemed to show a hint of interest from the slew compliments. Yamaguchi sent a wide grin to the pokemon causing Snivy to look away almost shily.

"She is a pretty strong Pokemon," Tsukishima ademited proudly.

"Do you have any other Pokemon?" Yamaguchi asked as he looked up to Tsukishima.

"No, not yet," Tsukishima said with a small frown.

"Me too," Yamaguchi sheepishly replied in hope to comfort his new friend.

"My older brother has a lot of Pokemon though," Tsukishima carried on, his pride beginning to well up once more.

"Wow, really!?" Yamaguchi gasped as he stood up once more. He looked to Tsukishima beckoning him to carry on.

"Yeah, he has an Emboar, Golbat, Scyther, Simipour, Zebstrika and a Gigalith!" Tsukishima listed off. As he did so the stars in Yamaguchi's eyes only grew. "That was the team he used in the Unova League last year," Tsukishima said as he glowed with pride.

"The Unova League! He competed in a League! Amazing!" Yamaguchi squealed in awe as he almost forgot to breath.

"Yeah, he made it to the top 8," Tsukishima shrugged, trying to play it off as if it was not a big deal. "He is in Kanto now taking on the Indigo League."

"Wow! That's so cool," Yamaguchi practically exploded in amazement. He'd never met anyone nor anyone's brother who competed in a League. Yamaguchi was down right starstruck.

"Yeah, I'm excited to go and see him compete at the end of the year like I did when he was in the Unova League," Tsukishima cooly sighed, though he still swelled with pride.

"I've always wanted to see an official League match!" Yamaguchi bounded where he stood as he spoke.

"One day I am going to be in an official League match just like my big brother," Tsukishima boasted as he puffed out his chest. 

"Oh! Me too! I want to be in one too!" Yamaguchi nodded earnestly.

Just than the Pokemon Center bell chimed as an announcement filled the Lobby. "Yamaguchi Tadashi, your Popplio is ready for pick up."

"Oh! Thats me!" Yamaguchi perked up looking to the front desk. He then turned to face Tsukishima once more. "Wait here a moment! I want to thank you for helping me out yesterday! After I get Popplio I'll get you a drink from the cafe."

Tsukishima replied with a nod and a small shrug. Yamaguchi smiled widely at his new friend before turning to pick up his Popplio. His heart swelled with joy at meeting Tsukishima. Perhaps this would grow into the friendship Yamaguchi had always wanted.

I hope you all enjoyed what I would like to consider the prolog. I had a lot of fun picking out the starters for these two and I knew from the get go what starter Tsukki would have. I mean come on, Snivy screams Tsukki! I had to! Yama was a bit more difficult but after writing out the plot and digging deep I felt Popplio was the bet fit for Yama. Let me know what sort of starter you would have chosen in the comment section below.

I hope you are all enjoying the story so far. Do let me know if it gets boring or confusing. Your comments will definitely help guide me in later chapters in terms of pacing and such. That being said, I would really love to hear from you all so do leave a review/comment below and let me know what you think of good old chapter on. I am very excited to hear from you all.

I plan to have chapter 2 up next weekend. Should be on time no problem! I hope you are all ready to joy Yamaguchi and Tsukishima on the start of their pokemon journey next chapter. Where will they go? What will they see? Who will they meet? There is only one way to find out and that is to read on!

See you all next chapter!

Character in this chapter and their Pokemon:

Yamaguchi Tadashi - 10 years old

Starter - Popplio

Tsukishima Kei - 10 years old

Starter - Snivy


	2. Welcome to Kalos

Hey all! Wow! I am so happy so many people viewed chapter 1. It really got me excited about posting chapter 2 here! I hope you are all ready to embark on a Pokemon journey with Yama and Tsukki.

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Now let's get going, shall we!

Welcome to Kalos

"Yamaguchi! Hey, wake up. We've landed."

Yamaguchi's eyes cracked open as Tsukishima's voice echoed through his mind. With his body stiff and his neck sore, he was vaguely aware of the fact that they were in motion. Rubbing his eyes he blinked away his fatigue before giving a small stretch. He looked to his side to find his friend flipping through a free magazine provided on the flight. An enthusiastic woman in an ornate dress posed perfectly with a Braixen decorated the cover of the magazine. Underneath the two written in large vibrant letters read 'Kalos: The Homeland of Pokemon Showcases'. Yamaguchi blinked away his sleep as he looked upon the image of the woman and her Pokemon.

"We've landed?" Yamaguchi mumbled, his voice slightly horse from just waking up.

"Yep, we should be deboarding soon so get ready," Tsukishima confirmed, not looking away from the article he was reading.

A quiet moment passed between the two as Tsukishima's words sunk in. "Tsukki! I said to wake me up before we land! I wanted to see if I could catch a glimpse of Prism Tower!" Yamaguchi winned with a pout.

"You'll have plenty of time to see Prism Tower once we get to Lumiose City," Tsukishima replied with a small shrug, his eyes still fixed on the magazine.

"But not from the sky," Yamaguchi sighed as his pout only grew.

Tsukishima side eyed him before turning back to his article.

Counting Tsukki as a lost cause, Yamaguchi released a small sigh before turning to the window. He leaned in close to get the best look he could. This was his first time journeying in another region and he could not help but be filled with excitement. He was now 16 years old and had finally been allowed to leave Alola. Though he had been a bundle of nerves at the airport, Yamaguchi now felt like he could barely contain his excitement as he got his first glimpse of Kalos.

As Yamaguchi looked out the small plane window all he could see was the airport and in the distance a large mountain range. Yamaguchi had never seen a mountain range so vast before. His heart fluttered as he took the sight in. "It's amazing, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi found himself gasping in awe.

"It's just an airport…" Tsukishima replied flatly.

"But it's a Kalos airport," Yamaguchi shot back, his tone full of giddy excitement though he did well to contain it.

Just then the plane came to a soft stop. Yamaguchi looked from the window to the cabin of the plane as the intercom sounded off. "The plane will be deboarding now. Please make sure not to forget any of your Pokemon or personal belongings," the voice of a kind stewardess instructed. Yamaguchi immediately gave a small contained wiggle of joy as he fought to control his excitement.

With a shove here and a push there, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi found themselves off the plane in no time. The air was cool. Much cooler than the tropical Alola and the sky was a clear and beautiful light blue. Yamaguchi could not help but smile as he watched a few wispy clouds pass overhead.

"Wow!" Yamaguchi whispered as a small flock of fletchlings flew over head. Yamaguchi's eyes followed them before they disappear behind a building.

"I'm going to leave you behind if you don't hurry up," Tsukishima called as he passed by Yamaguchi, heading into the airport building.

"Tsukki! Wait for me!" Yamaguchi called as he followed after his best friend.

Not having any checked luggage, the two trainers were able to exit the custom line relatively fast. Yamaguchi's stomach filled with a mixture of excitement and nerves that sent bouts of flutters through his chest. Part of him could hardly wait to see what Kalos had to offer but another part of him, a much darker part, feared failure that might lay ahead. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had never had much luck when it came to traveling with their Pokemon. The few adventures they had gone on prior had always been short lived and laced with disappointment. But this time Yamaguchi was determined to come out a winner.

"Professor Sycamore should be meeting us somewhere around here…" Tsukishima hummed as they exited into the meet and greet area of the airport. Both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima looked around but found no such person that looked to be a professor. A few people standing around the boys glanced their way in mild concern but that was about it.

"Maybe he forgot?" Yamaguchi reluctantly suggested. The idea caused an odd weight to settle in the pit of his stomach. He had hoped that their new journey would have started out smoothly. This doesn't bode well but Yamaguchi did his best to fight his pessimism.

"You two must me Tsukishima and Yamaguchi?" came the voice of a women from behind the two.

Yamaguchi gave off a small squawk as he turned around sharply. With his heart pounding he looked around and was met by the smiling face of a young woman. She had tan skin and shoulder length purple hair. She had a confident cocky smile on her face as she examined the two boys.

"And you are…?" Tsukishima questioned with a frown.

"The name is Sina. I'm one of Professor Sycamore's assistants. I was sent here to pick you two up," Sina explained with an inviting smile. Yamaguchi's heart rate immediately returned to normal upon hearing this.

"He should have told us if someone else was coming," Tsukishima stubbornly commented.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi sharply whispered. He wasn't too surprised by his friends rude behaviour but he sometimes wish Tsukishima sensored himself more.

"Well, sorry about that," Sina sheepishly replied. "Things came up."

"It's fine," Yamaguchi shook his head as he spoke. "We are all here now and that's what matters."

"Well, if you two are ready to go then let's hit the road," Sina cheered with a smile.

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukishima with a small grin. "Right," Tsukishima nodded, seeming to be over his slight frustration at the inconvenience of being picked up by someone that wasn't Professor Sycamore.

With that the two boys followed after Sina.

The drive from the airport to Lumiose City took a lot less time than Yamaguchi had expected. With bated breath, Yamaguchi looked out the passenger side back window as he took in all the new sights. He saw large green trees different form the ones on Poni Island. Small delicate flowers decorated the ground beneath the large trees. Every now and then Yamaguchi would catch a glimpse of a moving bush or tree branch but was yet to see any new Pokemon.

As they drove on the scenery when from forest to large magnificent brick houses adorned with vines. Before Yamaguchi knew it they were out of the forest and into Lumiose City. His eye filled with stars as they passed a person with a furfrou who's fur was dyed pink. Next he saw a lady on a balcony hanging laundry as a tiny flabébé danced merrily around her head. On every corner sat small cafes with people enjoying drinks beside their Pokemon. The seen was so quaint and inviting. Yamaguchi could not help but release a gasp of "wow" as he caught sight of Prism Tower between the rows of buildings.

"This city is so big," Yamaguchi chirped as he turned to look at Tsukki.

Tsukishima had also been looking out the window but didn't seem nearly as impressed. "Yeah it's a pretty impressive city," he admitted with a small shrug. Yamaguchi's smile only grew for he could see the smallest of a twinkle in Tsukki's eyes. He knew his best friend was also excited to be starting their next journey.

It wasn't long before they parked outside a large building. "We're here!" Sina sang as she turned the car off.

Yamaguchi felt bubbly excitement weld up in his stomach once more as he and Tsukishima exited the car. Sina led them through the parking garage and into the lab. Another wave of awe over took Yamaguchi at the sight of the prestigious lab. The rooms they passed were filled with machines, researchers and Pokemon. Assistants rushed this way and that as the three traveled through the halls. Yamaguchi even caught sight of what looked like a large terrarium filled with all sorts of Pokemon. He had never seen such a lavish building in his life. As Sina guided them into a room he took notice of many large computers decorated the walls.

"You two can take a seat on the couches here and Professor Sycamore will be with you shortly," Sina instructed before leaving the two trainers.

"This building is amazing, isn't it, Tuskki?" Yamaguchi hummed as he and Tsukki took a seat on a rather plush blue couch.

"It's pretty cool I guess," the ever cool Tsukishima replied.

"Did you get a glimpse of Prism Tower as we passed by?" Yamaguchi asked in a barely controlled giddy tone.

"I saw it," Tsukishima cooly replied.

Tsukishima's unenthusiasm didn't deter Yamaguchi. After knowing Tsukishima for 6 years he was used to it by now. He knew Tsukki had his own way of showing excitement.

Before long a handsome man with black swooping wavy hair and shining gray eyes entered the room. "Ah, you two must be the new trainers from Alola! Welcome to Kalos," the man greeted with a large inviting grin. "I'm Professor Sycamore."

"Tsukishima Kei," Tsukishima greeted with a nod as both he and Yamaguchi stood to greet the Professor.

"I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi," Yamaguchi introduce with a polite bow.

"And two fine young trainers you are! It's nice to meet you both!" Professor Sycamore chortled joyously, his handsome smiled causing Yamaguchi to blush ever so slightly. "Please, take a seat and relax," Professor Sycamore instructed as he sat down himself.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi both took their seats once more. They looked to the Professor both ready to get registered so they could start their journey in Kalos. Yamaguchi could not help but sit rigid with pent up anticipation. He side glanced Tsukki only to find his friend sitting quite comfortably and calmly next to him.

"Now, from what Professor Kukui has sent to me you two have come with two Pokemon each, correct?" Professor Sycamore hummed as he examined what Yamaguchi assumed to be an email on his tablet.

Bother Yamaguchi and Tsukishima replied with silent nods.

"And it also says that you two want to apply for the league it seems, is this correct?" Professor Sycamore asked with a large smile.

Yamaguchi looked over to see Tsukishima give another silent nod. "Y-yes, me too," Yamaguchi hesitantly replied. The prospect of joining the league terrified him but he didn't know what else to do so he had said he wanted to join it when leaving Alola. He felt it was the only way his mother would agree to him leaving. A mild panic overtook Yamaguchi, and though he did everything he could to hide it, he could feel Tsukishima's concern stare from beside him.

"Good choice!" Professor Sycamore boomed, shaking Yamaguchi from his mild panic attack. "Kalos has one of the best leagues around and the best scenery any league has to offer."

"W-we've heard and are very excited," Yamaguchi nervously cherped, feeling pressured to contribute to the conversation. "It's my first time going on a Pokemon journey outside Alola."

"This is the sort of thing that fills me with excitement," Professor Sycamore cheered with joy. "Two fresh trainers on a new journey someplace they have never been to. This is what being a Pokemon trainer is really all about!"

Yamaguchi could not help but smile. The handsome Professor's kind words eased up his nerves. He glanced to his side to see a small spark in Tsukki's eyes. Yamaguchi's smile grew into a large grin at this. Seeing his normally stoic friend show so much interest also go himself ready to go once more.

"Well then, let's get you two registered so you can be on your way," Professor Sycamore said as he stood up. "Follow me this way and we can get started."

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi followed the Professor to a large machine on the other side of the room. He had both trainers pick from an array of different colored Pokedexs. While Tsukishima chose a cool dark blue dex Yamaguchi went for the light green colored one. Professor Sycamore than placed each dex into a computer and had the boys input their personal information. Yamaguchi was filled with so much jitters he spelt his own name wrong twice before getting it right. Before long both boys had their dexes up and ready.

"With this you two are now registered in the Kalos League," Professor Sycamore said with a smile. "Kalos also has other sorts of Pokemon competitions you're more than welcome to join and can do so at any Pokemon Center at any time," he added.

Yamaguchi looked to the professor in mild interest. He had only been aware of the lauge and hadn't been told of anything else. He couldn't help but wonder what other sorts of things they could join in on in Kalos. Before the thought could develop anymore, Yamaguchi found a slim shiny black case being shoved into his free hand.

"This is your badge case to keep all the badges you earn," Professor Sycamore explained as Tsukishima and Yamaguchi examined their cases. "You need to earn 8 gym badges to qualify for next year's summer league finals."

The idea of earning 8 badges in a year felt daunting to Yamaguchi. It had taken him almost half a year to finish one Island Trial back in Alola. As he opened his case to find 8 empty spots an odd anxious weight began to settle in his stomach. It was moment like this, where his nerve would get the best of him, makes him feel as if he bit off more than he could chew.

"I'm sure you two are very excited to start your journey but before you go do either of you have any questions?" Professor Sycamore asked with a large smile. He looked to the two trainers as Tsukishima examined his new Pokedex with little amusement and Yamaguchi fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I think we are fine," Tsukishima flatly replied after an awkward silence.

"Right! Well, if you two ever have any questions my contact is programed into your dex there so feel free to reach out," Professor Sycamore said, his smile a little less enthusiastic only causing the awkwardness to grow between the three.

"Thank you for signing us up," Yamaguchi said with the best smile he could muster despite his rising nerves.

"Not a problem," Professor Sycamore reassured with a soft pat on Yamaguchi's shoulder. "Just go out there and do your best. And always remember that regardless of what happened there is always so much about life we learn on these journeys," as the professor spoke his tone became more soft and thoughtful.

Yamaguchi could not help but feel a bit of his nerves lessen once more. Even if he didn't conquer the world this next year he promised both himself and his Pokemon that he was definitely going to come out of this with something to show. At the moment he wasn't quite sure what that something was be he'd find it.

"Are you ready to go, Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima asked, breaking Yamaguchi from his inner thoughts.

With a node from Yamaguchi the two trainers thanked Professor Sycamore once more before heading out into the city. Neither really knew where to go first or what to do. They had only just arrived in Kalos hours ago. As the two awkwardly stood in the busy bustling streets outside the Pokemon Lab, both trainers stomachs growled loudly.

"Perhaps we should grab a bite to eat and decide on what we want to do first?" Yamaguchi suggested as his stomach sounded off once more.

Tsukishima gave a small shrug showing his approval of the idea. Yamaguchi smiled brightly as he followed close behind Tsukishima as the taller trainer lead them down a random street. With that, the two new trainers headed into Lumiose City to start their new Pokemon journey in Kalos.

There we go! This is the real start of their journey! I hope you enjoyed chapter 2! It was quite fun to write. I hope you all are as pumped as these two for the upcoming journey. I wonder where Kalos's roads are going to lead them? What pokemon will they see? Who will they meet? What sort of challenges will they face? Only time will tell but to find out stay tuned!

As always chapter 3 should be up next week. Possibly expect to see it a day or so early, possibly Thursday. I will be out over the weekend and won't be able to post so I will try to get it up early. Chapter 3 is going to be a great one so don't miss it :D

Thank you all so much for the views, kudos, follows, bookmarks and reviews. I was honestly so happy and surprised to see the number of both Haikyuu and Pokemon fans out there! It brings a tear to my eye. I hope you all are able to hand around till the end. I promise I will do my best to make it a fun read.

If you have the time please do leave a comment/review. I would love to know what you all think of the fic so far. As always I'd also love to know what sort of pokemon you think each character should have. Choosing the pokemon teams for everyone was probably the hardest part of making the outline for this fic. I spent hours changing them and moving pokemon around so let me know what you think Yama or Tsukki's (or whoever's) dream team could be.

Thank you all for dropping by! See you next chapter.

Character Overview - I will add this at the end of each chapter so you can review what is on everyone's team. This will go with any major character showing up in the chapter and only include characters in the chapter.

Yamaguchi Tadashi

Age: 16

Hometown: Poni Island, Alola

Team:Popplio and ?

Travel Companion: Tsukki

Tsukishima Kei

Age: 16

Hometown: Born in Unova moved to Poni Island, Alola

Team: Snivy and ?

Travel Companion: Yama


	3. Lumiose City: Part 1

All right! Chapter 3 is up and ready! A day early like I promised. I just hate missing weeks of posting chapters! Anyways, are you guys ready to really start our Pokemon journey! What will our boys find in the large and beautiful Lumiose city!?

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Now let's go!

Lumiose City: Part 1

It hadn't taken the two trainers long before they found a quaint cafe that overlooked an ornate fountain. Both trainers had ordered the lunch set special which they were both waiting for in anticipation. It was only after sitting down and resting did they really start to feel their hunger. To distract themselves from the hunger Tsukishima had pulled up a map of the region on his tablet and Yamaguchi made himself busy feeding their Pokemon.

"Here, Snivy! I made it just the way you liked it," Yamaguchi hummed as he handed the snake like Pokemon a bowl of his homemade Pokemon chow. He smiled grew as the picky Snivy hungrily dug into the bowl of food.

"Arfff!" Popplio barked in anticipation, catching Yamaguchi's attention.

"I haven't forgotten about you either," Yamaguchi laughed as he placed Popplio's bowl beside her. With a happy bark, Popplio dug head first into the chow making all sorts of slurping and chimping sounds. Yamaguchi released a small chuckle as he watched his beloved Popplio eat.

Just than a large black fire lizard placed her head upon Yamaguchi's shoulder. As a child this would have shaken Yamaguchi to have such a large powerful Pokemon so close but he had become very accustomed to Tsukishima's Salazzle's way of showing affection. Salazzle's long pink tongue shot out and tickled the inside of Yamaguchi's ear as she released a low hiss.

A shiver ran down Yamaguchi's spine. "Stop that, you," Yamaguchi giggled as he failed to shake the persistent lizard off his back. "If you hang on me like this I won't be able to feed you," he carried on still falling to shake Salazzle off.

"Leave him alone, Salazzle," Tsukishima half heartedly commanded. The large lizard completely ignored him as she carried on invading Yamaguchi's space.

Yamaguchi didn't mind the attention from the large lizard but knew if he took too long her touch could turn hot with anticipation for her lunch. Yamaguchi juggled the can of Pokemon food he had made special for the lizard as he clumsily poured it into a bowl. Salazzle's long tongue licked at his cheek as she eyed the food with hunger.

"It will be ready in a moment," Yamaguchi laughed as the tongue licked at his cheek once more. He pulled out a small jar filled with Tomato Berry jam he had made just before bed last night. With clumsy hands he twisted the lid and poured a good helping of the spicy jam atop the food. "There, all done," he said as he passed the bowl of food over his shoulder into the waiting claws of Salazzle.

With much haste, Salazzle snatched up the bowl and plopped down on the floor next to Tsukishima. She feverishly started on the bowl of food causing Snivy to send her a very disapproving glance.

"They really do love your food, don't they?" Tsukishima commented as he looked up from his tablet to watch his two Pokemon go to town.

With a shy laugh Yamaguchi took his seat at the table. "Well, I do my best to make good food but it's nothing special," Yamaguchi shrugged.

"I usually have trouble getting either of them to eat when you're not around so you must be doing something right," Tsukishima commented. Though his tone was flat, Yamaguchi could make out the smallest hint of a smile on Tsukishima's lips. "It's a good thing were going on this journey together," Tsukishima's facial features changed as he spoke. His gaze focused in on Yamaguchi as a sense of comfort fell over the two.

Yamaguchi could not help but blush. Receiving any form of compliment from his best friend always set his heart aflutter. "Oh, it's probably just your imagination," Yamaguchi mumbled as he looked to Popplio who was just finishing up her meal. He knew if he carried on looking at Tsukki his cheeks would only go from pink to red.

Yamaguchi could feel Tsukishima's eyes on him as he said nothing. Yamaguchi both loved and hated it when Tsukishima examined him like this. It always made him feel self conscious and on edge but also set his heart aflutter and cheeks ablaze. He loved having Tsukishima's undivided attention. Yamaguchi wouldn't say he was in love with his best friend but he definitely felt something more than just friendship towards the trainer. What that something was, Yamaguchi had yet to figure out. He was almost certain that he was the only one out of the two that felt this way.

Before anymore could be said about the topic the waitress came with their lunch orders. As she placed their platters on the table Yamaguchi looked up to see Tsukishima's stone cold expression had returned. The moment had passed and Yamaguchi's heart was returning to normal. He had promised himself he would not let these feelings get the best of him on this journey lest it scared Tsukishima away.

"So, where are we headed to first?" Yamaguchi asked as he and Tsukishima started on their meals.

"Since it's already late in the day we should probably just stay the night here and plan out our route for the next few days," Tsukishima hummed thoughtfully as he examined his map. "We can also pick up any supplies we might need and head out tomorrow morning."

"Oh! Than we can see Prism Tower at night? I heard it is beautiful," Yamaguchi agreed with much enthusiasm. "I also read about a really nice bakery around there too. I'd like to drop by and try some of their macaroons," he rambled on light heartedly as he popped fries into his mouth.

Tsukishima gave a shrug of approval that was met by a large smile from Yamaguchi. The two carried on with idle chat about what to pick up and where to stay for the night as they carried on with their meal. The calm beautiful atmosphere of Kalos helped Yamaguchi relax much faster than he had expected. The late afternoon sun filled the spring air with a warmth that could defuse any amount of stress one might be feeling. With their Pokemon snoozing by the table, both trainers took in the moment to peaceful silence.

Tsukishima began to doze off in his seat as the bright sun reflected beautifully off his face. Though he always felt guilty when he did this, Yamaguchi could not help but appreciate the perfection of his best friend's features. Tsukishima had always been a breathtaking person. Even when they first met Tsukishima had always taken Yamaguchi's breath away. Kalos was the region of beauty and Yamaguchi could not help but get swept away in the romance that filled the city's air.

"WOW! WHAT IS THAT!?" Came a loud voice from behind Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi jumped a mile high as he released a loud startled squawk. Tsukishima whipped up in his seat as he looked around. All three of their Pokemon were standing at the ready looking around for who had disturbed their piece. As quick as a flash an orange blur passed by Yamaguchi and stopped just beside Salazzle.

"Wow! This Pokemon is amazing! I've never seen anything like it!" gasped a boy with orange hair who was getting all up in Salazzle's business.

Salazzle backed away from the human with a warning hiss. Normally she was the one invading people's space but it seemed like she wasn't too into it when it was being done to her. Yamaguchi found himself wanting to warn the boy to back off before she retaliated but was still too startled to really find his voice.

"It's scales are so dark and sleek and cool! It looks so strong," the boy rambled on in rapid succession.

"Hey, kid, haven't you heard of personal space?" Tsukishima warned as he stood up. "Back off my Pokemon before I make you back off," Tsukishima spat non too kind. Salazzle hissed at the intruder one last time before sneaking behind Tsukishima.

"Hey! I'm not a kid," The orange haired boy snapped as he shot up from where he squatted beside Salazzle.

"Really? Could have fooled me," Tsukishima mocked cooly as he looked down on the intruder.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but stifle a laugh as the boy squaked an angry "What!?"

"I'll have you know that I'm Hinata Shoyo and I am going to be the next league champion in Kalos so you better watch out you overgrown Pokebean stalk," the boy, Hinata, snapped like an angry Lillipup. This caused Tsukishima to chuckle condescendingly and Yamaguchi to stifle another laugh.

"I hope you're talking about the Pee-Wee League," Tsukishima carried on in a mocking tone. "The Jr League would never allow such a shorty like you to join."

"I am not part of the Pee-Wee League!" Hinata snapped with much gusto, taking a step forward to get as into Tsukishima's space as he could.

This caused Tsukishima's smirk to falter as the stranger entered his sacred bubble. Yamaguchi picked up on his friend's discomfort. He hoped a fight didn't break out between the two.

"You think you're so tough! Then why not a battle here and now!" Hinata challenged as he stent Tsukishima the stink eye.

Tsukishima hesitated for only a moment. Yamaguchi knew both his Pokemon were in no condition for a battle today. They had only just arrived this afternoon and they were all still exhausted from all the travel. Yamaguchi wanted to step in to break it up but his weak side feared Hinata would turn his rage on him instead.

"What? Are you scared?" Hinata grumbled with a competitive smirk.

"Of you? No way," Tsukishima scoffed with a flip of his head.

"Then we are on?" Hinata pushed on as he began to shake with excitement.

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki to see his friend looking down at Hinata with the slightest hint of competitiveness in his eyes. Yamaguchi wasn't so sure this was the best way to be starting out their journey. Making enemies was something he would rather avoid for the time being. He wracked his brain as he tried to think of a way to defuse the situation even slightly.

"You can't battle!" Yamaguchi spoke up louder than he meant to.

Hinata whipped around to look at Yamaguchi. He looked almost shocked by Yamaguchi's presence, like he hadn't realized there was a second person. Yamaguchi fidgeted uncomfortably as he tried to think of an excuse. He looked down to find Popplio looking up at him with concern.

"Y-you can't battle here…" Yamaguchi started reluctantly. "Its against the law to battle in the streets like this… we need to leave the town or find a designated battlefield," He carried on as he did his best to remember the rules and regulations of the league.

Hinata's mild shock turned to disbelief, deflating upon hearing this. Tsukishima sent Yamaguchi a look that was hard to read. His friend often didn't care for when Yamaguchi butted into his fights. Yamaguchi could not help but look to the two with a sorry expression. Perhaps he shouldn't have said anything.

"Well, it doesn't matter because I would have been able to beat you anyways," Hinata said as he shook his disappointment. "You may look tough but you're probably just all talk."

"Tsukki is the best battler I know!" Yamaguchi cut in before he nor Tsukishima could stop him. "He's collected the most Z Crystals out of anyone I know and his Salazzle is the biggest Salazzle ever seen back in Alola," Yamaguchi carried on proudly.

"Yamaguchi, shut up," Tsukishima grumbled with a slight pink tint to his cheeks.

"Oh, sorry Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied a bit too chipper.

Hinata looked to Yamaguchi with a bit of curiosity. His intensity from before seemed to have been completely defused. "So you two are from Alola?" He asked as he focused a large majority of his attention on Yamaguchi.

"Yes, we both arrived in Kalos this afternoon," Yamaguchi confirmed with a shy but friendly smile. It was far too early into their journey for any more squabbling. "It's our first time in Kalos."

"Really? It's our first time in Kalos, too," Hinata said with an excited grin. "We just arrived last night from Kanto, my two friends and I."

"You're here with friends?" Yamaguchi questioned as he looked around the general area for two other people.

"Kind of…" Hinata mumbled as he gently kicked a pebble. "I kind of got separated from them," he admitted with a small pout.

"That's what happens when you run off like a kid," Tsukishima scoffed, always at the ready to antagonize.

"What was that?" Hinata snapped.

"Just saying…" Tsukishima shrugged with sass.

"Don't mind him," Yamaguchi assured as he won back Hinata's attention. "I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi, by the way, and that is Tsukishima Kei."

"I'm Hinata, Hinata Shoyo," Hinata said with much pride. "It's a pleasure to meet you Yamaguchi!" he cheered as he held a hand out for Yamaguchi to take.

Yamaguchi only hesitated for a moment before taking the enthusiastic boys hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Hinata," Yamaguchi said with a genuine smile. Part of him cheered at making a new friend.

Hinata then turned to Tsukishima with a small frown. "I suppose it's nice to meet you, too," he said in a much less welcoming tone.

"The feeling isn't mutual," Tsukishima hummed as he snubbed Hinata. This only caused Hinata to release an angry gasp.

"Hinata! Are your friends still in the city?" Yamaguchi cut in before the situation eculated anymore.

"Oh, yeah I think so," Hinata replied thoughtfully. "We were all going to go to the gym here and challenge it together. I got seperated from them while we were headed to the gym."

"There's a gym in Lumiose City?" Yamaguchi spat with dread. Popplio shifted uncomfortably next to him as she looked up at her trainer. Yamaguchi was nowhere near ready to take on a gym and to his horror, Tsukishima was showing mild interest.

"What? You two didn't know?" Hinata said as he shot Tsukishima a look.

"How were we to know? We just got here," Tsukishima replied coolly.

"Well, I'm off to the gym if you two want to join me in taking it on," Hinata proudly stated. "Unless you're too scared," He added as he glanced at Tsukishima.

Anyone with two eyes could see that Yamaguchi was indeed scared. Yamaguchi himself wasn't even going to try to deny it. He wasn't ready for a gym battle. He only had two pokemon, one of witch won't listen to a damn thing he tell it. It'd surly end with his defeat and he was not ready for that yet.

"Just because we don't take the gym on today doesn't mean we are scared," Tsukishima came back cooly. "Responsible trainers know when to push their Pokemon and let their Pokemon rest up," he carried on as if he here talking to a child.

Yamaguchi could see in Tsukishima's eyes that he was interest in the gym. Part of Yamaguchi was so grateful that Tsukki was making an out for them but he dreaded to think that he was holding his best friend back. Yamaguchi fidgeted where he stood as these thoughts raced through his mind.

Hinata looked to the two trainers in disappointment. His large shining eyes landed on Yamaguchi and held there longer than they had for Tsukishima. It was almost as if Hinata was pleading for them to go along with him. Part of Yamaguchi had a feeling that Hinata just wanted company.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to just check it out, right, Tsukki?" Yamaguchi meekly spoke.

Hinata brightened immediately upon hearing this. "Yeah, and this way, whether you decide to battle or not, you'll be able to get a good look at what to expect," Hinata cheered.

Yamaguchi smiled softly as he gave a small nod of agreement. He looked to Tsukki to see if he too was game. The blond trainer had a small pout on his face as he watched Hinata wiggle with anticipation. His annoyance was rising with every hop Hinata made. Tsukishima's eye than landed on Yamaguchi as if to ask if this was really want Yamaguchi wanted. Yamaguchi gave another soft reluctant nod.

"Fine," Tsukishima sighed as he rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Great! Now I'm not alone anymore," Hinata cheered, grabbing Yamaguchi's hands to do a small dance.

Yamaguchi released a small yelp of surprise as Hinata spun him around three times. All the while Popplio barked with glee at their feet. Their voiceterious antics caused several passerbyers to look their way. Tsukishima sent the smaller tainer an annoyed glare that went unnoticed by Hinata. Yamaguchi's head spun once Hinata released him causing him to fall back into his chair.

"So, where is the gym?" Yamaguchi mumbled as his vision slowly stopped spinning.

"Right... about that…" Hinata laughed sheepishly. His attention stayed on the nicer Yamaguchi, ignoring the increasingly irritated Tsukishima. "Like I said, I'm lost. I don't remember."

"You at least must know the name of where the gym is…" Tsukishima scoffed, his tone holding little patience.

"I know the name of the area," Hinata snapped as he turned to face Tsukishima. "I just can't remember at the moment."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Tsukishima replied with cocky smirk. This caused Hinata to fume all the more.

"Well, do you remember anything about the gym?" Yamaguchi softly cut in before the argument could grow any further.

"Yeah, I think Yachi said something about it being a part of a landmark…" Hinata hummed thoughtfully. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi both sent Hinata verified expectant looks.

"This is the biggest City in Kalos, there is bound to be several landmarks," Tsukishima pointed out none too kind.

"I know that," Hinata sharply replied, glaring at the taller trainer. "But I just got here too so you can't expect me to know everything."

"The only landmark I'm aware of is Prism Tower," Yamaguchi once again cut in. "I haven't had a chance yet to read the brochure Professor Sycamore gave us so I could be wrong."

"Prism Tower…" Hinata hummed as if the name was familiar to him.

With a heavy sigh, Tsukishima pulled out his tablet and mumbling about how useless some people are. Hinata sent him the stink eye but said nothing. Yamaguchi couldn't help but release a small sigh of his own. Though he never had much problem getting along with Tsukki, it seemed almost impossible for most others to be considered acceptable by the taller trainer.

"According to the information here the Lumiose City Gym is located somewhere in Prism Tower," Tsukishima read, looking up from his tablet and sending Hinata a very condescending smirk.

"Why didn't you do that in the first place?" Hinata snapped.

"It's not our problem that you don't know where you are going," Tsukishima replied with a shrug. "You should carry a map next time."

"Wow, I didn't realize the gym was part of Prism Tower," Yamaguchi cut in for the third time. He had to admit that it was becoming exhausting. "I did want to see the tower before the end of the day."

Hinata's attention returned once more to Yamaguchi. "Great, then let's go together!" he cheered with an award winning smile.

"Now is just as good a time as any, I guess," Yamaguchi replied nervously, still on edge about visiting a gym so soon to their arriving. "You ready to go now, Tsukki?"

Tsukishima shot Hinata a sour look before turning his attention to Yamaguchi. His expression softened slightly as he shrugged in approval. Yamaguchi returned the shrug with a smile. The whole silent exchange left Hinata in the dark.

"Let's get going then," Yamaguchi cheered with a clap of his hands.

With that the three trainers and their Pokemon packed up and headed off towards Prism Tower. The location of the Lumiose City Gym.

Ah, yes! A new challenger has appeared. I wonder what they will discover at Lumiose City Gym? Will the three trainers actually take it on. Will they receive their first badges so soon into their journey? Will Hinata be able to reconnect with his other two travel companions!? On the suspense! Well, there is only one way to find out and that is to stay tuned!

Hey all. So I was able to get chapter 3 out early. I am unsure I am going to be able to do the same for Chapter 4. Ya see, I am going to be on vacation so I am unsure how much free time I will have next weekend to post chapter four. You may find it early next week, the end of this weekend, or if I really get too busy to get online I will just post two chapters the next week. Sorry for any delay.

Also I would like to thank you all so much for the Kudos, follows, bookmarks and reviews. I just love to hear my readers feedback so if you have the time do leave me a review. I would love to know what you all think about the fic so far. Let me know what Pokemon you think Haikyuu characters would have. Let me know what you favorite Pokemon is.

Speaking of letting me know things. I mean to mention that if you ever want to chat about Haikyuu! or Pokemon you can reach be on Tumblr. I go by pastaprincess so if you ever want to chat do hit me up. I'm always up for a fandom chat :)

That's all for now, see you all next chapter!


	4. Lumiose City: Part 2

Hey Hey Hey! Happy Haikyuu Day, everyone! Looks like I was able to get this week's chapter out on time after all! Just in time for Haikyuu Day! Amazing it worked out. I hope you are all ready for chapter 4! It was a fun one to write so I hope it's fun to read!

( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Without further ado, chapter 4!

Lumiose City: Part 2

Yamaguchi walked closely beside Tsukishima as his heart pounded heavily. He was pretty sure the two other trainers could hear the pounding of his heart but both chose to say nothing. To say Yamaguchi wasn't nervous beyond belief would be a lie. He was indeed terrified. His palms were sweaty, his back rigged, his movements stiff, his vision tunneled and he was completely unaware of whatever it was Hinata was going on about. He was by no means ready to face the gym.

He knew he didn't have to battle today if he didn't want to but the mere idea of going to a gym set him on edge. Yamaguchi was horrible at battling. He had never been good at it. Not as a kid and definitely not now. Going to the gym would only remind him of this glaring flaw. Despite his fears his pride would not allow him to hold Tsukishima back from visiting the gym. Yamaguchi knew that if he had voiced his fears Tsukishima would have gone along with him and rejected Hinata's invitation.

Yamaguchi hadn't come to Kalos to carry on with his old cowardly ways. Back in Alola he would have procrastinated going up against Island trials and Kahunas until those around him simply forgot. It had worked then and to be honest he didn't have much to show for it now. He could not help his poor battling skills. Anytime he faced off against other trainers he would freeze. His mind would go far too slow and before he knew it his pokemon would be fainted.

But this journey was going to be different. This Kalos journey is going to be a fresh start for both Yamaguchi and his team. He owed it to them both and he wasn't going to let them down. Even if he pissed his pants the whole way he wasn't going to avoid the challenges that come his way.

"You know, Yamaguchi, we don't have to go to the gym if you don't want to…" Tsukishima softly spoke so that Hinata could not hear.

"I-It's fine, Tsukki. I-I don't mind," Yamaguchi reassured as he cursed his shaking voice.

It was clear that Tsukishima didn't buy it. He shot Yamaguchi a concerned look before shrugging it off and dropping the subject. Though most people wouldn't see it, this was Tsukishima's own way of showing his support. For that Yamaguchi was thankful.

"Hey, where do we turn next?" Hinata barked as he walked in front of the two.

"I think at that red cafe just up there," Yamaguchi instructed as he referenced Tsukishima's tablet. "Or maybe, it's the blue clothing shop?" He second guessed as he turned the tablet upside down.

"Give me that," Tsukishima sighed as he plucked the tablet from Yamaguchi's grasp. He studied the map for a moment, his brow furrowed and a slight scowl upon his face. "We still have two blocks to go," he finally spoke before handing the tablet back to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi looked at the map once more comparing it to the street they just passed. "Oh, right, my bad," Yamaguchi admitted sheepishly. He had never been the best with directions. Tsukishima replied with an eye roll but said nothing more. This wasn't new to either of them.

"Aw man, I was hoping we were close! I can't wait to see what kind of gym it is," Hinata sighed as he glanced back at the two.

"I hope it's not a dragon type gym," Yamaguchi said with a shutter. He didn't have anything against the dragon type he just wasn't ready to face off against one.

"A dragon type gym would be so cool," Hinata cheered with stars in his eyes. "Do you really think it's a dragon type gym?"

"He said he hopes its not dragon type, you idiot," Tsukishima sighed, his tone short. It was clear by his sour expression that Tsukishima wanted nothing more than for Hinata to shut up.

"I wasn't walking to you," Hinata replied with a sneer.

"That doesn't excuse you from ignoring what other people have already said," Tsukishima retorted cooly though Yamaguchi could tell that he was increasingly becoming annoyed.

"I wasn't ignoring him, you jerk," Hinata growled, now practically walking backwards to face Tsukishima.

"Wow, look at that! Prism Tower is coming into view," Yamaguchi cut in just as Tsukishima opened his mouth to snap back.

"What!? Where?" Hinata gasped as he whipped around.

Tsukishima side eyed his best friend as he released a small 'tch'. Though relieved the argument was over Yamaguchi still sent Tsukishima an apologetic glance.

It didn't take the three long to arrive at the tower. As they approached the large structure Hinata frantically looked around the general vicinity. Hinata's frantic search went unnoticed by Yamaguchi for he was so taken by the large tower. He had never seen such a large structure in all his life. It reached high into the late afternoon sky, reflecting the hot sun magnificently. Part of him wanted to ride to the top to see the view but another part of him feared such a large struckert was bound to fall.

"Hey! There they are!" Hinata shouted with a waive. "Kageyama! Yachi! Over here!"

Yamaguchi looked from the tower to where Hinata was waving. To his surprise he saw a dark hair trainer with a sour face and a short cute girl coming their way. His eyes lingered on the girl taking in how undeniably adorable she was. As she approached she caught Yamaguchi staring at her and seemed to tense up. Upon seeing this Yamaguchi quickly looked away with a fierce blush on his cheeks for making such a fool of himself.

"I take it these are the friend you were seperated from," Tsukishima drawled with much disinterest.

"Hinata, there you are. We were worried about you," the girl greeted her friend as she and the other trainer stopped just in front of Hinata.

"Sorry, Yachi," Hinata apologized with an apologetic smile. "Those fancy pokeballs caught my attention and when I looked back you two were gone," he lamely explained.

"Well, don't do that next time, idiot," the dark haired trainer practically shouted as he jumped forward to attack Hinata. "We waisted two hours looking for you!" He carried on, both he and Hinata pushing at each others faces. Yamaguchi could not help but duck ever so slightly behind Tsukki as he watched the two.

"Lay off, Kageyama!" Hinata snapped back without fear. "It was an accident!"

"Please stop fighting you two," Yachi reluctantly spoke up. Her please were ignored.

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima watched the two go at it in shocked silence. Part of Yamaguchi was confused. He was under the impression that Hinata was friends with these two but they seemed to be more like enemies. From beside Yamaguchi, Tsukishima was becoming increasingly more annoyed.

"I should have known shrimpy would be in bad company," Tsukishima spoke up in quite the snobby tone.

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi squeaked from beside his friends. The last thing he wanted was the two feuding trainer's attention directed at them.

"What was that!?" Both Hinata and Kageyama barked in unison. Both their head shot like whips as they turned to glare at Tsukishima.

This seemed to be the reaction Tsukishima was after for he smiled smugly. Still holding each other's collars in clenched fists, both Hinata and Kageyama growled deeply. Yamaguchi wanted nothing more than for the tense atmosphere to subside.

"Oh! Who are you two?" Yachi loudly cut in before the argument could escalate even the slighted. She smiled kindly at both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima. Yamaguchi silently thanked her for cutting the argument off.

"I-I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi," Yamaguchi introduced, his voice full of pent up anxiety.

"Tsukishima Kei," Tsukishima replied, his tone and expression much less dry towards Yachi.

"It's nice to meet you two," Yachi said with a sunshine like smile. "I'm Yachi Hitoka and this here is Kageyama Tobio," she carried on, motioning to both herself and Kageyama respectively. "We are Hinata's travel mates. Thank you so much for helping him find his way," Yachi hummed sounding a lot like a mother who has been reunited with her lost child.

"I'm not his travelmate," Kagayama snapped, causing Yachi to jump every so slightly.

"Not true! You've been traveling with Yachi and me this whole time!" Hinata accused loudly.

"Have not! You two have been following me around!" Kagayama retorted sharply.

"No way! I was our idea to stay in Lumiose City one more day," Hinata snapped.

"I had already decided that before you said anything about it," Kageyama grumbled.

"Lier!" Hinata shreaked.

"Am not!" Kageyama growled.

And right before Yamaguchi's eyes the two trainers had each other in sloppy headlocks once more. Both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima watched on in wonder for neither of them had never seen anything like what was happening at the felt waves of discomfort as the aggressive atmosphere around Hinata and Kageyama mixed with the rising annoyance radiating off Tsukishima.

"Coming here with shrimpy was a mistake," Tsukishima mumbled from beside Yamaguchi. This time the two squabbling trainers didn't seem to hear him.

"I-I'm so sorry," Yachi apologized in a mild panic. "They normally don't squabble this much."

"Squabble? This is more like a fight between a Seviper and a Zangoos!" Tsukishima sneered.

"What was that, four eyes," Hinata snapped. He and Kageyama had now resorted to pushing at each other's faces.

"Hey! Didn't we come here to check out that gym," Yamaguchi weakly cut in. He looked from Hinata and Kageyama to Tsukishima with a strained smile. Though he was currently terrified of facing the gym, he didn't know if he could handle much more of the arguing.

"The gym!" Hinata sang out as he untagged himself from Kageyama. "I almost forgot about it."

Tsukishima rolled his eyes but thankfully chose to say nothing.

"Right, that's why we came here," Yachi chimed in with hope. "I'm assuming you two came along with Hinata for the same reason?"

"Let's just get this over with," Tsukishima grumbled in confirmation.

"I'm challenging the gym leader first," Hinata shouted without missing a beat before racing towards the tower.

"Hey, wait! I got here before you! I get to go first," Kageyama snapped as he chased after Hinata.

"Are they always like that?" Yamaguchi reluctantly asked as the two ran off.

"Yes," Yachi replied with a nervous smile. "Though they seem extra hyped today. Probably the gym battle."

"Are you going to battle the gym too, Yachi?" Yamaguchi asked as he, Yachi and Tsukishima followed after Hinata and Kageyama.

"What? Me!?" Yachi stuttered as she almost tripped over her own two feet. "No way! I'm in no way part of the lauge."

The reply caught Yamaguchi quite of guard. Though it also peaked his interest. "So are you here just to travel?" He asked.

"Well…" Yachi began ever so shyly. "To be honest I really want to try my hand at the Pokemon Showcase."

"Pokemon Showcase?" Yamaguchi asked in much interest. He had heard the term before but hadn't a clue what they really were. Tsukishima seemed to be mildly interested as well for he glanced Yachi's way quite a few times.

"Yes. You see, I'm no good at battling and in a Pokemon Showcase there isn't any battling but you still get to compete and grow with your Pokemon," Yachi carried on, her tone becoming more excited by the second.

"No battling?" Yamaguchi echoed, becoming more interested in the showcase.

"And last year's winner, Kyoko, she is just amazing," Yachi carried on with a small swoon. "When I saw her perform on stage last year it inspired me."

"Wow, you really seem excited," Yamaguchi hummed, noticing how pumped Yachi became just talking about it.

"Yeah, but I have such a long way to go," Yachi began, slightly disheartened. "This is my first time leaving on a journey like this and I don't even know if I will be able to qualify in time."

"Yeah, I hear ya," Yamaguchi mumbled as he thought of the empty badge case in his backpack.

"Hey! What the heck!" Hinata snapped from up ahead. His loud voice caught the attention of Yamaguchi and the others as they came up behind him.

"What's wrong?" Yamaguchi asked as he looked over Hinata's shoulder. It didn't take long for Yamaguchi to realize the problem for on the door of the gym was a large sign that read 'CLOSED'.

"How can they be closed!" Hinata squacked as he ruffled his orange messy hair.

"Closed, will be back in a week. Sorry for the inconvenience," Yamaguchi read aloud.

"No! They have to be open! We came all this way," Hinata carried on wining.

"Well, they probably had something to do," Tsukishima replied flatly. "They are human, just like the rest of us."

"We will have to come back later," Kageyama added, though he seemed to be just as disappointed as Hinata.

"But I was so ready for a battle," Hinata sobbed as he hung his head low.

"Well tough pokeblocks," Tsukishima stuffily replied. "You can't get everything you want."

"Shut up, Tsukishima!" Hinata snapped. He glared at Tsukishima only for it to turn into a smile.

This seemed to freak Tsukishima out for he backed away from Hinata ever so slightly. Yamaguchi couldn't help but look to his friend in worry. Part of him feared what it was that caused the sudden change in Hinata.

"I have an idea!" Hinata perked up.

"I don't want to hear it," Tsukishima immediately replied.

"What do you say, Tsukishima, you and me have a one on one battle?" Hinata challenged with a determined smirk.

"Me battle you," Tsukishima scoffed.

"What, you scared," Hinata accused.

"Scared of what? You?" Tsukishima drawled. "You have got to be joking."

"Sound like something a scardy skitty would say," Hinata provoked.

Everyone turned to look at Tsukishima. The blond trainers eye twitched as he scowled deeply. He didn't take too kindly to being on the receiving end of teasing. "No crying when you lose," Tsukishima dryly sneered.

"Likewise," Hinata retorted with a determined smile.

Yamaguchi got a ting of excitement. Though he himself was a horrible battler, it was different when it came to Tsukishima. He loved seeing Tsukishima battle. His best friend was always at his best when on the battlefield.

It didn't take the group long to find a battlefield. After looking on the map on Tsukishima's tablet they found one in the park just left of the tower. With Kageyama playing as the judge, Yachi and Yamaguchi took seats on a nearby bench. Yamaguchi chose to call out Popplio so that she could observe the battle in hopes she learns something.

"Now watch both Tsukki and our new friend Hinata close, okay," Yamaguchi instructed as he placed Popplio in his lap. The small blue seal barked in confirmation as she looked to Tsukishima and Hinata who were readying themselves to battle.

"Wow, so this Popplio yours? I've never seen one before in real life!" Yachi gasped as she admired Popplio. Popplio blushed before blowing a few playful bubbles from her nose.

"Yeah, I got her back in Alola when I was just a kid," Yamaguchi explained as he gently scratched between Popplio's ears. "She and I have been partners for years now."

Popplio happily barked twice as if to agree with Yamaguchi statement.

"Wow, well you two seem like really good friends," Yachi giggled as she too scratched Popplio behind the ear.

The two's conversation was cut off there as both Tsukishima and Hinata took their placed on either end of the fields. Hinata jumped up and down in excited anticipation as Tsukishima slouched disinterested across the field. Kageyama stood stiff and serious on the sideline as he motion for the two to get into position. Popplio, Yamaguchi and Yachi quieted down as they became engrossed in the drama unfolding in front of them.

"This will be a one on one battle between Tsukishima and Hinata," Kageyama begane, his tone formal. "Each trainer will use one pokemon with no substitution. The first Pokemon that is unable to battle is the loser. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yeah! Yeah!" Hinata cheered with a few more determined hops.

With an extremely exaggerated eye roll, Tsukishima nodded his confirmation.

"Go!" Kageyama anncounded.

"Pikachu! I choose you!" Hinata cheered as he called fourt a Pikachu with a scalloped tipped tail.

"Pika~!" Pikachu called as she jumped fourth from the ball.

"Snivy, help me teach this shrimp a lesson," Tsukishima drawled as he called fourth his pokemon.

The snake like Snivy appeared from the ball. Her keen eyes examined Hinata and Pikachu for a long moment before snubbing them both.

"I see both you and your pokemon are quite salty," Hinata pointed out as his pikachu growled. "Pikachu use quick attack!"

Like a flash Pikachu serpentined across the field towards Snivy. Snivy didn't seemed too bothered by the fast moving mouse.

"Nine o clock, Snivy," Tsukishima calmly instructed. Sniver released a small grunt as she use her vine whip to jump high off the ground, dodging Pikachu's attack. "Vine Whip," Tsukishima commanded cooly. Ever quick, Snivy slapped pikachu back with her long vines.

"Hey! Not fair!" Hinata shouted from the other side of the field as pikachu tumbled back.

"That looked like a direct hit!" Yamaguchi commented with a smile.

"Poor Pikachu," Yachi sighed in worried.

"Thundershock, Pikachu!" Hinata commanded loudly as Pikachu shook itself off. As quick as lightning, Pikachu charged up and sent a bolt Snivy's way.

"Dodge one more time, Snivy," Tsukishima cooly instructed. The ever cool snivy used her vines to dodge the attack effortlessly once more. "Vine whip once more." Snivy's long vines made another direct hit sending pikachu flying.

"Pikachu!" Hinata called in worry. Pikachu struggled to stand. "Hey, go a little easy on her, I only just caught her this morning so she is new to this!" Hinata snapped as he glared at Tsukishima.

"Why? It's not my fault if you made a poor choice in pokemon," Tsukishima taunted as Snivy hissed in agreement. "Snivy, let's end this! Leaf Tornado!"

Yamaguchi could not help but blush at Tsukishima's confidence. His eyes full of stars he watched as Tsukki effortlessly instructed his Pokemon. It always amazed him at how cool and collected his best friend was when out on the battlefield.

Jumping high in the air, Snivy unleashed a large tornado of leave directly at Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Get up! I know you can!" Hinata encouraged as his pikachu failed to stand up.

The tornado of leave landed directly, capturing Pikachu and sending her high into the air. "Pikaaa!" Pikachu shrieked as she became jostled about by the attack. With a loud thud, Pikachu landed heavy on the field.

"Pikachu!" Hinata called out in worry. Pikachu did not respond to his call.

Three beast passed as all waited for Pikachu to get up.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Snivy is the winner!" Kageyama called, holding up his hand on the side of the field that held Tsukishima and Snivy.

"Yeah! Tsukki, you did it!" Yamaguchi cheered from the bench. Popplio barked in joy as she blew several bubbles of victory from her nose.

"Wow, that was so intense," Yachi gasped as she looked to Hinata and Pikachu in worry.

"Great work, Snivy," Tsukishima calmly praised. Snivy nodded knownling with a smiled. "Now take a good rest," Tsukishima instructed before calling her back into her ball.

"You big bully! How could you beat up Pikachu like that!" Hinata whined as he cradled his fainted pikachu in his arms.

"You're the one who asked for a battle, dumbass," Kageyama called from the sideline. Hinata shot Kageyama a glare from where he stood.

"Next time you should plan better," Tsukishima cooly mocked.

"I won't lose to you next time, Tsukishima!" Hinata snapped.

"Whatever you say," Tsukishima smuggly shrugged.

"That was the best battle ever, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi praised as he came up on Tsukishima's side, Popplio barking in agreement from his arms. "You and Snivy were both so strong. I hadn't even the slightest worry weather you would win or not, Tsukki. You are always so-"

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima sighed.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi smiled sheepishly.

"Nice try, Hinata," Yachi said from beside the orange haired trainer.

"Thanks, Yachi," Hinata reluctantly smiled.

"But not good enough," Kageyama added from the other side of Hinata.

"What was that?" Hinata barked.

"We should probably get Pikachu to the Pokemon Center," Yachi cut in before anymore could be said. "Are you two headed that way as well?"

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki for confirmation. Tsukishima gave a small shrug signifying he didn't care what they do. "Yeah, sure. We haven't been to one since arriving so we should probably go. Right, Popplio?" Yamaguchi replied as he gave Popplio an affectionate squeeze. Popplio barked in agreements.

It didn't take the five trainers long to arrive at the Pokemon center. It was late noon when they arrived and by the time Pikachu was discharged the sun we beginning to set. While waiting Hinata had regained his spunk despite the loss, declaring that he wasn't going to fall behind any further.

"You just wait, Tsukishima! Next time we meet I won't lose to you!" Hinata declared with Pikachu just as charged by his side.

"I highly doubt it," Tsukishima shrugged with little care.

"Will you two be staying the night in the city?" Yachi asked Yamaguchi as the two ignored the bickering from beside them.

"Yeah, I think so. We still have some shopping to get done and we only just arrived today," Yamaguchi hummed as he tried to remember all they still needed to do before heading out.

"Well, we are leaving tonight!" Hinata cut in. "I refuse to fall any further behind! Right, Yachi!"

"Yeah, I suppose we could leave tonight," Yachi shrugged. "What about you, Kageyama?"

"Like I'm going to fall behind Hinata!" Kageyama barked in determination.

It didn't take long for Hinata, Yachi and Kageyama to gather their things and ready themselves to head out. With Hinata by the door about ready to run off, everyone readied to say their goodbyes. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel a bit sad to already part with their new friend but he was well aware that each trainer had their own paths to take. They had also exchanged contact information in hope to meeting up again later in their travels.

"It was really great meeting you both," Yachi sighed with a melancholy edge. Something about her also seemed to be a bit tired. Yamaguchi couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with Kageyama and Hinata's arguing.

"I hope we get to meet again soon," Yamaguchi agreed with a sad smile.

"We're definitely meeting again!" Hinata cheered. "I have a score to settle with glasses here!"

"Whatever you say, shorty," Tsukishima hummed in disinterest.

"Next time I get to battle Tsukishima," Kageyama cute in, his expression stone serious. Tsukishima looked to Kageyama with a curious edge but said nothing.

"No way! He is my rival!" Hinata snapped.

"You don't get to call rivals like that, Hinata!" Kageyama bellowed.

"Oh yeah! Well I just did!" Hinata smirked.

"First one to the edge of the forest gets to battle Tsukishima next time," Kageyama grumbled.

"You're on!" Hinata growled.

With that the two trainers shot out of the Pokemon Center leaving Yachi behind.

"Oh, no! Here they go again!" Yachi sighed as she clumsily chased after them. "See you two around," She called back before exiting the Pokemon Center.

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima watched the drama play out in confused silence.

"Well, looks like you won yourself two rivals, Tsukki" Yamaguchi laughed nervously as the dust outside began to settle.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima sighed in exhaustion.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi laughed sheepishly.

And with that our two new trainers journey in Kalos had begun.

Lucky Tsukki! He now has two whole rivals in Hinata and Kageyama. He must be so thrilled. Yama also go away with no gym battle but he can't run forever. I wonder where their adventure is going to go next! There is only one way to find out and that is to read on.

I was surprised to come across free time this weekend to post this chapter! Really didn't think I was going to be able to and I'm happy to to get it out. I should be able to get chapter 5 out on time next weekend no problem. It's going to be a great one so don't miss it!

I want to thank you all for the views, kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews! I love them so much and it really helps me find the fuel to write on! If you have the time please do leave a comment! I would love to hear from you readers :D

HAPPY HAIKYUU DAY 3

See you all next chapter!


	5. Expert Tracker Tsukki!

Hey all! I hope you are all doing well. I as totally ready to get this out on time! Totally lol. Well I hope you enjoy chapter 5! Let's see what the first leg of their journey has in store.

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Without further ado, CHAPTER 5!

First Catch

They next morning Yamaguchi and Tsukishima woke up early to find the sky sunny and clear of any clouds. A cool spring breeze blew through the city balancing out the strong sun to make the day pleasant and not too hot. If you were to ask Yamaguchi, it was the best way for them to start their journey. The day before they had been able to collect all the supplies they would need before arriving at the next town. This morning Yamaguchi was more than excited to head off into the woods to see what Kalos had in store for them. We find our two trainers just finishing up their last minute packing before leaving the Pokemon Center for the forest nearby.

"It looks like it will take us a few days if we go this route before getting to Santalune City," Tsukishima hummed as he examined the map on his tablet. He had already finished with his packing.

"Oh right," Yamaguchi hummed as he put away the last of their pokemon's breakfast into his large backpacking pack. "What type of gym is in Santalune City again?" he reluctantly asked as he closed off his pack.

"Bug type it looks like," Tsukishima replied as he flipped through his tablet.

"Oh right! Bug type," Yamaguchi stuttered. "A bug type gym shouldn't be too bad," he unintentionally said allowed. Not wanting to burden Tsukishima, he immediately regretted the slip up.

Tsukishima replied with a thoughtful hum as he carried on looking through his tablet. Yamaguchi inwardly sighed in relief though he had a feeling Tsukishima had heard his reluctance loud and clear. Yamaguchi had promised he wouldn't let his shortcomings show as much as they had in the past but he already felt he was failing at that.

"We'll get going once you're done packing," Tsukishima instructed as he pocketed his tablet.

"Right, I'm almost finished," Yamaguchi replied as he shoved his japamas and a can of Pokemon chow into a side zipper.

With Tsukishima being the guide it didn't take the two long to find their way to the forest's edge. The bright morning sun shone down on a much more quiet Lumiose City than what Yamaguchi and Tsukishima had experienced midday yesterday. Yamaguchi soaked in the serene silence as shopkeepers busied themselves opening up their establishments. Even Prism Tower shone most beautifully as they passed by it on their way to the forest's edge. Yamaguchi felt sad to be leaving such a beautiful city but knew they would be back in no time to take on the gym.

The path out of the city and into the forest was quite inviting. There were no other trainers in sight as they started on the dirt path. Lush green grass speckled with a multitude of colorful tiny wildflowers framed the path and led to the tree line. The large forest trees half shaded the path on both ends allowing anyone who talked it to seek refuge from the sun if they so chose. Today was a crisp cool spring morning and Yamaguchi chose to walk the small bit of the path that was illuminated by the sun.

"So, is there a Pokemon Center between here and the next city," Yamaguchi arbitrarily asked as he soaked in the beautiful morning.

"I think there is but we probably won't make it to the Pokemon Center until sometime tomorrow afternoon," Tsukishima replied, not bothering to check his tablet map.

"So I guess that means we have to sleep under the stars tonight," Yamaguchi reluctantly chuckled. It's not that he disliked sleeping outside it's just that Yamaguchi was a bed person.

"We could always sleep in the trees," Tsukishima dryly joked. This won him a sweet chuckle from Yamaguchi.

"No way," Yamaguchi laughed. "Last time I tried sleeping in a tree I fell out, remember?"

"That's because you roll around when you sleep like you're some sort of gymnast or something," Tsukishima hummed, his tone containing none of his normal snoot.

"Hey, it's hard for a guy to find the right position," Yamaguchi retorted playfully.

"The right position, huh?" Tsukishima hummed as he sent Yamaguchi a knowing glance.

"Tsukki! I didn't mean it in a dirty way!" Yamaguchi scolded as his face went as pink as a pecha berry.

Tsukishima replied with muffled 'pfft' as he fought to retain his smile. The taller trainer always seemed to gain enjoyment out of making his best friend blush. He'd never admit it aloud but he almost found it quite cute.

The two carried on down the path in a calm, comfortable, silence. This wasn't an uncommon occurrence for them. While Tsukishima and Yamaguchi did often have good conversation, at the end of the day Tsukishima was not much of a talker. Yamaguchi was more than used to this and simply enjoyed the comfortable silence they shared when in each other's company. It's one of the few times Yamaguchi felt completely at ease.

It was late afternoon when the two trainers finally pulled over on the path, ventured into to the woods and found a open area to set up camp for the night. Fortunately for them they had come across a nice clearing not too far from a small stream. Tsukishima busied himself setting up their sleeping arrangements while Yamaguchi made himself busy setting up their campfire and an area to prepare food. Before long their small campsite was up and ready.

"Well, that didn't take long at all," Yamaguchi said with a satisfied sigh as he looked over their hard work.

Tsukishima replied with a small shrug before calling out his two pokemon. "I'm going to go into the forest for a bit and look around, maybe find some berries," he explained to both Yamaguchi and his pokemon. "You don't have to come with me but you're welcome to," he said, directed more to his Pokemon than to Yamaguchi.

"Well, I will stay here and make us some lunch," Yamaguchi replied. At this Salazzle slithered her way to Yamaguchi's side. Standing up on her hind legs, she rested her head upon his shoulder licking at his ear. A shiver ran down Yamaguchi's spine as he released a giggle.

"I guess that means Salazzle will stay back and help you," Tsukishima commented more than asked. Neither were too surprised. Salazzle always enjoyed being by Yamaguchi's side when he was preparing food.

"It would seem so," Yamaguchi laughed once more as Salazzle licked at his ear. "But don't be out too long, Tsukki. Lunch will be ready soon."

"Yes, Mom," Tsukishima drawled with an almost playful shake of his hand. Yamaguchi rolled his eyes as he watched Snivy and Tsukki disappear into the woods.

"Come on out, Popplio," Yamaguchi cheerfully called as he released Popplio from her ball. "Do you two want to help me prepare lunch?" Yamaguchi asked to both Popplio and Salazzle.

Popplio barked in joy as she released several large bubbles from her nose as Salazzle licked at Yamaguchi's cheek.

"I take that as a yes," Yamaguchi laughed as he once more gently pushed Salazzle away.

With his apron on and his sue chefs at the ready, Yamaguchi began on making a nutritious lunch. While Yamaguchi chopped away at the vegetables and berries, Salazzle and Popplio worked together to get a pot over the fire to boil. It wasn't long before a warm creamy vegetable and berry stew bubbled over the fire.

"Thank you both for your hard work," Yamaguchi praised as he gave both Popplio and Salazzle affectionate pats. "You both go take a rest and I will call you over when lunch is ready."

Salazzle ended up curled comfortably beside Yamaguchi, her firey body keeping Yamaguchi quite warm, while Popplio made to splash about in the small stream. Stirring the stew on occasion and petting Salazzle with is free hand, Yamaguchi watched Popplio play in relaxed bliss. Yamaguchi always did enjoy being in nature. He wished he could experience moments like this more often.

Almost as if he knew the stew to be done, Tsukishima and Snivy arrived back just as Yamaguchi began to serve up their lunch. As Yamaguchi filled their colorful plastic bowls with stew, Salazzle leaned upon his back practically drooling at the mouth. Popplio watched in innocent amusement from the shade as her trainer struggled to fill the bowls.

"Tsukki, get your Pokemon under control," Yamaguchi half sighed half laughed as Salazzle licked at his ear.

"Can't help it if she is hungry," Tsukishima shrugged not lifting a finger to help. He always found Salazzles clinginess towards Yamaguchi to be too amusing to stop.

"Salazzle, hanging on someone like this is bad manners," Yamaguchi tried, his tone unintentionally babyish. Salazzle released a cheeky hiss before licking at his ear once more. "Fine, fine your meal is next," Yamaguchi sighed as he placed the pot of creamy stew in the center of the table.

Salazzle did a little shimmy as she backed off of Yamaguchi's shoulder. As she did so she found herself joined by a very enthusiastic Popplio, who was blowing bubbles, and a slightly less enthusiastic Snivy who looked to Yamaguchi expectantly.

"You two will be fed now as well," Yamaguchi laughed as he stepped around the pokemon to his pack.

"Anything happen while I was away?" Tsukishima asked as he sat at the table and started on his stew.

"No, not really," Yamaguchi hummed. "A Fletchling tried to steal some of our berries," he carried on as he placed a bowl of Pokemon chow topped with stew in front of each hungrily awaiting pokemon.

"Did you try to catch it?" Tsukishima asked with mild interest. His amber eyes studied Yamaguchi closely.

"What? N-no," Yamaguchi sputtered as he joined Tsukishima at the table. "You know I'm no good at catching Pokemon," he added in a low mumble. He slowly stirred his bowl of stew, avoiding eye contact with Tsukishima.

Tsukishima's eye were fixed on Yamaguchi, and Yamaguchi could feel it. A long silence passed between the two. This always happened when Yamaguchi talked down about himself. Even when he wanted to, Tsukishima was never the best at consoling people and Yamaguchi was well aware of it. It always left Yamaguchi feeling guilty and awkward.

"I'm going back into the woods after lunch," Tsukishima said, breaking the awkward silence. "I've found the tracks of a Pokemon I want to try to catch. You should come along."

"Really? What Pokemon?" Yamaguchi asked in interest, looking up from his lunch to Tsukki.

"You'll have to come and find out," Tsukishima replied in a cool but inviting tone.

"Sure, I don't really have anything better to do after lunch," Yamaguchi admitted as he went back to stirring his stew.

Another beat of silence filled the camp site.

"The stew is good by the way," Tsukishima commented, only glancing at Yamaguchi for a moment.

"Oh, thanks. It's nothing special," Yamaguchi replied, his cheeks turning a brilliant shade of pink. His heart fluttered from the complement as his veins filled with a warmth determination. This seemed to happen more and more often when talking with this best friend.

The rest of lunch was filled with a much more comfortable silence. It wasn't long before both trainers found their bowls empty and stomachs full. Popplio and Salazzle snuggled comfortably under the shade of a tree while Snivy sat by the streams edge scanning the surroundings.

Tsukki had gone quiet. Yamaguchi could tell the trainer was in deep thought. Most likely planning out a strategy to catch whatever Pokemon he had been tracking. This was another thing Tsukki had always been good at that Yamaguchi admired. Yamaguchi often felt like Tsukki could do anything.

Yamaguchi made himself busy cleaning the dishes. Tsukki had insisted he would do it since Yamaguchi had cooked but the trainer was in such deep thought, Yamaguchi didn't want to disturb him. He'd probably be told off by Tsukki later. Halfway through cleaning the dishes he could feel Tsukki's amber eyes on his back.

"I thought I said I would do the cleaning," Tsukishima mumbled in mild annoyance from behind Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi quickly stood and turned to face Tsukishima, dropping a fork as he did so. "Oh, well everything is done so…" Yamaguchi shrugged as he gave a small nervous smile. "Besides, you should concentrate on your catch."

Tsukishima studied him for a long moment. Yamaguchi held his smile, it softening in to a more natural one at the moments passed. "Are you ready to head out than?" Tsukishima asked.

"Yeah, let's head out," Yamaguchi cheered, leaving the fallen fork forgotten on the floor. "Come on, Popplio, we're going to go watch Tsukki catch a Pokemon!" He cheered as he walked past Tsukki to where Popplio lay. Tsukishima's gaze following him the whole way.

Popplio barked enthusiastically as she left Salazzle's side. Salazzle licked at the air lethargically as she watched Popplio leap into Yamaguchi's arms.

"You're coming too," Tsukishima said as he approached the large black lizard. "I may need your strength."

Salazzled replied with a neutral hiss showing she understood but would rather sleep longer. Tsukishima didn't waste time calling her back into her ball.

"We're ready to go, Tsukki," Yamaguchi chered with Popplio in his arms.

"You two are going to need to stay quiet," Tsukishima snapped, thought his tone was not too harsh.

"Oh right! Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi smiled sheepishly.

With that the two trainers headed into the woods. Snivy lead the way following what looked to be a game path. They diverted from the walking path as they followed the recently disheveled brush. Wandering from the path set Yamaguchi's stomach upside down but he fought back the feeling as he followed close behind Tsukki.

The thick wood were heavily shaded by the surrounding trees. Everything looked the same to Yamaguchi and with his horrible sense of direction he made sure to stay close to Tsukki. Despite his own anxiety, Popplio sat in his arms without a care in the world. This brought a slight amount of comfort to Yamaguchi but didn't help him stay calm when a nearby bush rustled.

"Tsukki, what was that?" Yamaguchi hissed in mild panic.

Tsukishima made a motion to keep quiet as he turned towards the bush. Yamaguchi made to hide half behind his friend, peeking out from behind Tsukki. From Tsukki's posture and expression he did not seem to know what was in the bush.

The bush rustled once more as a rather fat pidgey came bursting from it. The fat bird gave a loud squawk as it went right for the two trainers. It looked as if the large bird was having trouble getting it's fat ass off the ground. The seen would have been comical if Yamaguchi hadn't been so spooked by the whole episode. Just as the pidgey was about the fly right into Tsukishima's face, it vered to the left and flew up into the canopy.

"Arceus! That scared the crap out of me," Yamaguchi hissed with a small embarrassed laugh.

"Let's keep moving," Tsukishima hummed in mild annoyance.

"Tsukki, what is it that we are tracking?" Yamaguchi asked in a low whisper.

"You'll see when we find it," Tsukaima replied in an even quieter whisper. "But if we keep talking we'll scare it away and never find it."

Yamaguchi went to apologise but stopped himself realizing Tsukki wanted quiet.

Before long the two trainers made there way out of the forest into a grassy meadow. The long grass reached up just past Tsukishima's kneecaps. The game path they had been following disappeared into the tall grass and it was only when Yamaguchi looked carefully did he see that the path was still present in the grass.

Both trainers got low as they followed the faint path. At times Yamaguchi felt as if he'd lost complete sight of the path, but Tsukki never stopped moving on ward. Tsukki had always had a keener eye with these things. Several times Tsukki motioned for Yamaguchi to get lower until both trainers were practically on their hands and knees. Yamaguchi had a feeling that they must have been close to whatever Pokemon would be at the end of this path.

Yamaguchi's face almost ran head first into Tsukishima's ass at the taller tainer came to a sudden stop. With his nose only centimeters away from Tsukishima's butt, Yamaguchi could not stop himself from going a deep red. Why did Tsukki have to have such a nice butt?

Tsukishima motioned for Yamaguchi to come up beside him, not taking notice of how flustered his friend currently was. Doing his best and failing to keep his cool, Yamaguchi came up beside Tsukki. He was unable to look his friend in the eye nor did he dare ask what was going on, so Yamaguchi squatted beside his friend.

Tsukki motioned for Yamaguchi to keep quiet before pointing ahead. Yamaguchi followed Tsukishima's finger to find a large rock sticking out of the sea of grass. Atop the rock sat a pokemon. A light blue bipedal dragon with a helmet upon it's head looked up into the sky. Yamaguchi failed to hold in a small gasp as he realized it to be a Bagon.

The small Bagon didn't take notice of the gasp for it carried on looking up at the sky. Yamaguchi silently mouthed if that was the Pokemon they were tracking. With a small smile, Tsukishima nodded in confirmation. Yamaguchi fell back slightly not wanting to get in the way of his friend's capture. Tsukishima looked to Snivy to see that she was ready to battle. Both trainer and Pokemon got into position, one on either side of the Bagon, both still concealed by the grass. Yamaguchi watched on in pure admiration for his best friend.

"Bagon, I have come to battle you," Tsukishima announced as he popped up from the grass. It was so sudden that even Yamaguchi let out a small yelp of surprise.

The Bagon gave a startled growled as it clumsily rolled off the rock into the grass.

"Snivy, use leaf tornado to clear out the grass," Tsukishima commanded as he jumped on the rock to get better vantage point.

Snivy replied with a curt hiss before releasing a storm of leaves on the area. Feeling a bit too close for comfort, Yamaguchi stumbled back, almost dropping Popplio. The grass around the rock became short enough that nothing could hide in it, revealing the slightly startled Bagon.

"Vine Whip, Snivy," Tsukishima cooly instructed as both he and Snivy caught sight of their target. The vine whip was a direct hit sending the dragon flying.

The Bagon was quick to be on it's feet but didn't seem startled anymore. It gave a small growl before releasing an ember directed at Snivy. Snivy cooly dodged the attack before Tsukki called out for her to use tackle. Every so quickly Snivy tackled the dragon type almost sending it flying in Yamaguchi's direction.

Popplio barked in amusement as Yamaguchi gave a small yelp. Tripping over his own feet, Yamaguchi ran a few more steps back from the scuffle. Once he felt at a much safer distance he turned to find Snivy being hit by a direct ember.

"Oh no! Snivy," Yamaguchi found himself yelling without meaning to. The attack looked like it hurt but Snivy was still on her feet. The bagon looked equally, if not more, exhausted.

"Tackle one more time!" Tsukishima commanded sternly.

Without hesitation Snivy went head on towards the Bagon. The Bagon gave a shocked yelp before Snivy sent it flying. It landed hard and before it could so mach as get up, Tsukishima sent a Great Ball in it's direction. The red light form the ball swallowed up the dragon before it landed on the ground. Both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima waited in complete silence as the ball wiggled three times before clicking into submission. Another moment of silence held heavy in the air.

"Tsukki! You did it!" Yamaguchi cheered loudly as he ran to his best friend. Popplio barked in utter joy all the while.

Tsukishima picked up the blue ball studying it for a moment. "See, Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima calmly said as he turned to face Yamaguchi, ball still in hand. "Catching a Pokemon isn't that hard. Next time it's your turn," he carried on with a very small but confident smile.

Yamaguchi stopped short but returned Tsukishima's smile with one of his own. "Sure, I'll do my best."

By the time the two trainers returned to their campsite it was already late noon. They had a little bit of time to relax before Yamaguchi had to prepare dinner. Tsukishima made himself comfortable under a tree while Salazzle snuggled up close to him. Yamaguchi was taking the free time to patch up Snivy and Baygon.

"This burn is pretty bad so this might hurt," Yamaguchi gently explained before spraying a mist of hyper position on the small snake Pokemon.

Snivy gave a small uncomfortable hiss but did not bother to pull away. Yamaguchi then placed a small bandage on the burn. He wasn't any Nurse Joy, but had taken time to study rudimentary Pokemon first aid. As Yamaguchi finished patching up Snivy, Bagon and Popplio weaved between his legs as they played an odd game of tag. Snivy gave a small unapproving glance at the two Pokemon but neither seemed to care.

"Now you go rest up with Tsukki, okay," Yamaguchi hummed as he placed Snivy on the ground.

The small snake dodged Popplio and Bagon as they both ran past. Quicker than normal, Yamaguchi snatched up the rambunctious Bagon. The blue dragon struggled for only a moment in his grasp.

"This will only take a moment," Yamaguchi explained as he placed Bagon on the table. "I'm just going to give you a small bit of medicine to help patch up these bruises," he carried on, unsure if Bagon understood.

Bagon looked to Popplio who send him a reassuring bark. This seemed to convince him for he sat obediently for Yamaguchi.

"This might sting," Yamaguchi whispered as he gently sprayed at the bruises with a normal potion. Bagon gave an uncomfortable grunt but allowed Yamaguchi to work on him. "Now eat this, then you can go on and play some more," Yamaguchi instructed as he handed Bagon and oran berry. Bagon happily ate the berry in one bite before Yamaguchi gently placed him back on the floor.

"Thank you for patching both of them up," Tsukishima said from just behind Yamaguchi. "Snivy never sits still for anyone else," he carried on, his head resting just behind Yamaguchi's. Yamaguchi hadn't seen Tsukishima get up and the sudden feel of his best friend breath on his ear set his heart a flutter.

"It's no big deal, Tsukki. My pleasure," Yamaguchi sputtered as he turned to face his friend. His heart beat like crazy as Tsukishima studied him. There were times Yamaguchi wonder what it was Tsukishima was looking at when he did this.

"Next we'll hunt a Pokemon for you to catch," Tsukishima's cool voice broke the awkward silence.

"Right, sure," Yamaguchi replied with a not so convincing smile.

Another moment of silence passed between the two. Tsukishima's eyes carried on studying Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi almost felt exposed as his cheeks went pink. He both hated it and loved it when he had Tsukishima's undivided attention.

"Let's get some rest and then I'll help start dinner," Tsukishima finally said, breaking the silence once more. He then turned and made his way back under the tree where Salazzle lay.

"Right, rest," Yamaguchi sputtered, his heart still racing slightly from the closeness.

As Yamaguchi's heart regained it's normal rate as he made to sit under the tree on the other side of the sleeping Salazzle. In a relaxed silence, both he and Tsukishima watched as Popplio and Bagon tussled about the campsite. With the odd atmosphere gone, it didn't take long for Yamaguchi to fall into a comfortable sleep. With the sun setting lower in the sky, the rest of the afternoon passed in a lazy comfort.

Hurray! First Pokemon Caught! Tsukki needed a dragon type and why not make it his first. I wonder if Yamaguchi will be able to catch the next Pokemon!

As always I should be able to get a chapter up for next week I just don't know when. My time is still going to be crunched but I will do my best so keep an eye out!

As always, thank you all so much for the Kudos, Follows, Bookmarks, Reviews and Comments! I love to see what you all think so if you have a moment do leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you all.

I know these author notes are much shorter than normal but I'm off for now!

See you all next chapter!


	6. Mud, Burns and Fluff

Wow! This is going up much later than I anticipated. My holiday ended up being far too busy for me to find time to use the internet. Sorry about that. But here is chapter 6. Super ready for you all to finally read it. Please enjoy!

( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Let's read chapter 6!

Mud, Burns and Fluff

Once again the two trainers were greeted by a bright clear blue sky as they left the Pokemon Center early that morning. The air was still cool but Yamaguchi could taste the ever growing warmth in the air. As they started their way down the path that lead back into the forest, Yamaguchi gave a satisfying stretch. Sleeping in beds really was much better than sleeping on the hard forest floor. He was grateful they had made it to the Pokemon center yesterday for he had woken up the morning before feeling stiff after spending the night on a rather large rock.

"Do you really think we'll make it to Santalune City in just two nights?" Yamaguchi whined bleakly, not wanting to spend more time than needed on the hard forest floor.

"Maybe," Tsukishima shrugged, none too interested in his best friend's bellyaching.

"I'm thinking I might just buy a cushion or something to sleep on in the next town," Yamaguchi carried on, his tone holding less of a wine.

Tsukishima replied with a silent shrug. One might mistake this as a sign of disinterest but Yamaguchi knew better. Tsukishima was not one for contributing to a conversation if he had nothing to say.

"I mean I do have a little more space in my pack, so why not?" Yamaguchi sighed thoughtfully. To be honest he was really just rambling to pass the time.

A comfortable silence hung between the two. Tsukishima's gaze was fixed ahead while Yamaguchi looked around at the trees that lined the path. The forest was not as thick as before and he could just make out what looked to be an open meadow between the trees. He mindlessly scanned the trees to see if he could catch a glimpse of any wild Pokemon. He had promised to be the next to catch a Pokemon and perhaps catching one before getting to the first gym wasn't such a bad idea.

"Tsukki, do you know what kinds of Pokemon are in this area?" Yamaguchi asked, looking from the trees to his travel companion.

"I can't really recall off the top of my head, but we can check the tablet when we stop to set up camp," Tsukishima replied in a monotone voice.

Yamaguchi gave a thoughtful humm to show he had heard him before returning his gaze to the forest. The two walked on in mostly silence with random bouts of chatter, mostly from Yamaguchi, sprinkled here and there. The path they followed was relatively flat and the scenery, though beautiful, was unchanging. Yamaguchi found himself falling into a variety of daydreams as they walked along, barely taking notice when Tsukishima called his name.

"It's past noon, we should probably set up camp for the day," Tsukishima stated as he stopped in his tracks, causing Yamaguchi to crash into him.

"Ack!" Yamauchi sqeaked as he gently bumped face first into Tsukishima's back. Tsukishima didn't react to the collusion as he examined his tablet. "It's only noon so we should be able to keep going. I made us rice balls for lunch today too so…" Yamaguchi hummed as he looked over Tsukishima's shoulder at the tablet.

"There is a nice open meadow only a few minutes away from here," Tsukishima cut in. "We are staying there tonight."

"A meadow? Why do we have to stay there?" Yamaguchi questioned, finding it strange that Tsukki would be so adamant about staying the night in any particular place.

"There are lots of wild Pokemon around and a lot of open space," Tsukishima explained, turing to face Yamaguchi. "It will be the perfect environment for you to catch your first Kalos Pokemon."

"What?" Yamaguchi spat in shock. Tsukishima looked at him expectantly and Yamaguchi could not help but send his friend a timid smile. "Right, sounds like a great place then," he agreed, his smile only slightly strained. Maybe the meadow really was a good place for him to start his hunt.

With an approving nod, Tsukishima turned on his heels and lead Yamaguchi into the woods. Yamaguchi followed close after not wanting to get lost in the thick brush. It wasn't long before Tsukki lead them into a beautiful open meadow.

Yamaguchi had never seen a field so vast in all his life. His eyes widened in wonder as he took in the lush beauty. The tall green grass reached out as far as the eye could see and at the far end he could just make out what looked to be a mountain range. Large boulders sprinkled the filed along with vast plots of wild flowers. The grass and flowers swayed beautifully as gentle gusts of wind licked through the meadow. Yamaguchi could definitely see why so many wild Pokemon could be found here.

"Wow, Tsukki, this place is amazing!" Yamaguchi gasped as he followed after his friend. They walked through the field for a while longer as they searched out the perfect place to set up camp. As they went Yamaguchi took notice of the vast array of bird Pokemon that took flight every now and then and smiled widely when a group tiny Flabébé floated past, all holding a different color flower.

Before long they had located an area where the grass was not as tall and the ground flat. Not too far from the spot Yamaguchi could hear the faint sound of a babbling brook. He suspected that several a trainer had used this exact stop for a camp.

In a calming silence the two set up camp for the day. If Yamaguchi was to be honest, despite his reservations earlier, he could see himself spending a few days at this camp site. The calm quiet beautiful scenery with the lush soft grass already set the young trainer into nap mode.

"Did you see any Pokemon you wanted to go for on our way here?" Tsukishima asked as he made himself comfortable on the grassy floor.

"The Flabébé were pretty cute," Yamaguchi admitted as he dug up the rice balls he had made that morning. He handed a few over to Tsukishima, taking notice of how the other trainer study him silently.

"Yeah, they're alright I guess," Tsukishima agreed after a moments silence.

Yamaguchi started on his riceball in awkward silence. He was afraid. He hadn't ever been successful at catching Pokemon growing up. He always messed the catch up and ended up with nothing to show for it. His fear didn't come from the Pokemon itself nor did it come from the act of finding the Pokemon. What he feared the most was failure. He didn't know if he could handle another failed catch so early into his journey.

Shaking his head violently and causing Tsukishima to send him a concerned glance, Yamaguchi shook away all his doubt. He could not let his negativity get in his way. So what if he didn't catch anything on his first hunt? There was always next time. And if that is a failure too then the time after that. Yamaguchi furiously ate his riceball as he did his best to pump himself up.

"Don't choke," Tsukishima scolded, his gaze mildly disapproving. He passed of a bottle of razz berry juice to Yamaguchi who downed it just as quickly.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said with a breathy sigh before wiping the juice from his upper lip. With another sigh he stood up from where he sat. "I'm heading out then!" he declared, not wanting to lose what little determination he had.

"But we've only just started eating," Tsukishima pointed out, looking to Yamaguchi in uncertainty. "You've only eaten one of your three rice balls…"

"Not hungry," Yamaguchi insisted. It was true. The idea of Pokemon hunting had chased away any appetite he previously had. "I'm going to head out and we can meet back up later!" he insisted, making sure he had Popplio safely secured on his belt.

"If you say so…" Tsukishima sighed, not bothering to argue the topic.

"When you see me next, I'll have one more Pokemon," Yamaguchi feigned confidence.

"Remember to stay low and quiet when you are sneaking up on anything," Tsukishima reminded Yamaguchi, nonetheless giving his friend a lazy thumbs up.

"Right-Oh!" Yamaguchi cheered, giving the best smile he could.

With that Yamaguchi rushed out of the campsite. In all honesty he didn't want Tsukishima to see him fail catching a Pokemon once more. It will be much easier to catch something without an audience. Tsukishima's keen eyes followed after Yamaguchi until he disappeared behind a large rock.

Yamaguchi hadn't tried to capture a Pokemon for what must have been three years now. His last attempt had ended him with a broken arm and several wasted great balls. It had always been a dream of his to catch a Rockruff but try as he might any time he found a wild Rockruff it always ended with him face down in the dirt and dogless. The many failed attempts of his youth sent a shiver down his spine. He swore here and now that he would not allow himself to give up as easily as he did in the past.

Once he was away from the campsite Yamaguchi examined his surroundings. He saw an area not too far away where several large boulders poked out of the grass like islands at sea. Further from that, he made out what looked to be a patch of multicolored flowers. His eyes then wandered to the forest he and Tsukki had come from. All three of these places were bound to have at least one pokemon for him to try and catch. He immediately shook off going into the forest knowing he'd never be able to find his way out of it alone. Yamaguchi pondered only a moment longer before setting his sights on the boulders.

Remembering what he and Tsukki had done yesterday, Yamaguchi made sure to crouch low in the tall grass. He didn't want to scare away any Pokemon that might be hiding amongst the rocks. As he approached the rocks he stopped short, pulling out a pair of binoculars. Peering through them he looked for any sign of movement. His breathing was shallow with concentration as he scanned the area.

It was his second time over that he noticed it. Something was moving just behind the third rock to the right. He could not make out what it was from his current position. Crouching down even lower he slowly made his way to the rocks. He kept a keen eye on the rock where he had seen the movement, making sure whatever it was hadn't fled. Before long he had arrived at the first rock. He peered around it to see if the Pokemon was still there. He could make out a long brown ear poking out from behind the third rock. Whatever it was, it was still there.

He crouched down and swiftly moved to the second rock. He heard the Pokemon stop it's movement as if it possibly sensed Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi felt his heartbeat heavy with nerves but pushed forward. Once he was upon the third rock he reached his hand to his belt, grasping the ball that carried Popplio. With an audible gulp and a count to three he lept from behind the rock.

"Popplio, come on out" Yamaguchi called as he simultaneously caught sight of the Pokemon he had been stalking. It was a Bunnelby.

The small brown rabbit like Pokemon looked to Yamaguchi and Popplio in utter shock. Popplio gave an excited bark that sounded like she was excited to make friends with this new Pokemon as opposed to fighting it. The Bunnelby's shock wore off quickly as it sized up both Yamaguchi and Popplio. Yamaguchi felt a wave of shame at feeling intimidated by such a cute pokemon.

"P-Popplio, use water gun!" Yamaguchi commanded as steadily as he could.

Popplio gave an excited bark before sending a fast stream of water towards Bunnelby. The brown rabbit used it's ears to leap high into the air, dodging the attack.

"Crap!" Yamaguchi cured as he watched the rabbit soar high. "Water gun again, Popplio!" He wouldn't give in!

Yamaguchi watched in horror as the Bunnelby dodged the water gun once more in the exact same manner. This time, as Bunnelby reached the apex of it's jump, it launched large wads of mud at both Popplio and Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi gave a muffled cry as a glob of mud slapped him right in the face sending him falling.

With mud now clouding his vision, Yamaguchi struggled to see what was going on. He rubbed at his face trying to remove the thick mud. He could hear Popplio barking in what sounded like innocent amusement.

"P-Popplio! Help!" Yamaguchi sputtered, spitting mud out of his mouth. The next thing Yamaguchi knew he was getting a face full of Popplio's water gun. He sputtered and struggled against the attack for only a moment before Popplio barked with joy. "Thanks, Popplio," Yamaguchi deadpanned as he tried to ignore the water that had just gone up his nose.

He felt his heart drop only to find that Bunnelby was gone. It only took him a moment to notice a large whole the rabbit had used as a get way. Yamaguchi released a disheartened sigh as he lifted himself off the floor. He should have known this would happen. He had left himself far to open for the wild pokemon to attack both himself and Popplio. He wondered what Tsukki would have done to have avoided this outcome.

With a heavy sigh Yamaguchi look around in an attempt to regroup himself. He could try to follow the Bunnelby but it was most likely miles below ground now and would probably not be back for a while. He scanned the area to find several more large rocks scattered about. This creature was a failure but perhaps he could find another pokemon behind one of these other rocks. With a shake of his head and slap to his face, Yamaguchi did his best to not lose heart.

He brushed himself off once more before taking Popplio into his arms and heading off towards another boulder. The first three boulders he checked behind all came up empty but he got lucky on the fourth boulder. To his delight he found a very startled Scatterbug. At first he thought for sure he was going to catch the Scatterbug easily but after getting a face full of string shot the small worm squirmed away into the tallgrass.

His next few encounters with wild Pokemon ended is a very similar manner. When he came across a pidgey it used sand attack blinding both Yamaguchi and Popplio. After that Yamaguchi and Popplio faced off against a very aggressive Fletchinder that left Yamaguchi with several angry burns on his arm and cheeks as well as charred clothing. Even Popplio felt worn after that confrontation. Lastly was a Vivillon who's stunspor missed Popplio but hit Yamaguchi head on. By the time Yamaguchi had eaten a cheri berry to remove the paralisis effects from himself, Vivillon was long gone.

Exhausted, burned, sore, dirty, and on the brink of giving up, Yamaguchi slouched down beside a large white boulder. He buried his face into his bent knees and did his best not to cry. This always happened. He was horrible at strategy. Thinking on the spot was next to impossible for him. He was never quick enough to command his Pokemon, nor was he any good at reading the oncoming attacks. He didn't want to fail his Pokemon. He choked down a frustrated sob as a few tears trailed down his cheeks.

It was only when he felt Popplio lean against his side that he looked up. The small blue seal looked to Yamaguchi in concern, her normal bubbly demeanor nowhere to be seen. A sad smile graced Yamaguchi's lips as he stroked her smooth head.

"Sorry girl, I just needed a rest," Yamaguchi choked, doing his best to fight the negativity he felt.

This seemed to lighten Popplio's mood slightly for the worry in her eyes lessened as she nuzzled her trainer's hand.

"How about we have a small snack before we carry on?" Yamaguchi suggested, taking notice of how worn Popplio had become. He reached into his bag and pulled out a few oran berries for them both to share.

Popplio happily dug into her snack with much glee. The small act brought a smile to Yamaguchi's face. As the two ate their snack, their exhaustion faded little by little. As Yamaguchi snacked he did his best to wrack his mind about a strategy for the next Pokemon he came across. Jumping out form behind the rocks was not doing him any favors. He was well aware now that he had been making both himself and Popplio easy targets by having their backs to the large boulders.

His eyes scanned the field as he considered going to another area. Perhaps one with more space for Popplio and himself to dodge attacks? He scanned his surroundings three times before his eyes fell on the patch of colorful flowers. Pulling out his binoculars he scanned the flowery area to see if there were any Pokemon. To his delight there was a large group of Flabébé spritzing around. Flabébé were not so aggressive so perhaps he could go after one of them.

"I have an idea Popplio, but you're going to have to go along with what I say for it to work," Yamaguchi confidently said as he placed his binoculars back into his pack. With a small bark, Popplio looked to him in curiosity.

His plan was to block off the Flabébé from both sides. If Popplio came in from the north and Yamaguchi came in from the south and they worked together to block off any escapes maybe they would be able to catch themselves a Flabébé. The plan had to work.

Yamaguchi found himself practically on his stomach as he hid in the tall grass only a few feet away from a small group of Flabébé. The small flower wielding faries did not seem to notice him or Popplio, who had snuck around to the other side. Yamaguchi held his breath as he waited for the right moment to signal Popplio to attack. The wind seemed to sit still as the pressure build up in Yamaguchi's stomach. One, two, three….

"Popplio, NOW!" Yamaguchi commanded as he sprang from his hiding spot. Popplio, too, jumped out from where she hid.

The sudden appearance of the two newcomers caused the Flabébé to let loose screams as they began to scatter.

"Water Gun!" Yamaguchi commanded.

As the Flabébé began to float up into the sky in a slight panic Popplio sent water up into the air, gravity working against her. As the Flabébé drifted higher and higher Yamaguchi became more aware of his plan's flaw. This hadn't even occured to him.

"No!" Yamaguchi choked as the small fairies floated too high for water gun to have any affect. He felt another wave of frustration and defeat bubble in his stomach. "Come back please! Battle me!" He pleaded as the small fairies floated off, paying him no mind.

Another wave of self disappointment washed over Yamaguchi like an ocean wave. Why was he no good at this? Why couldn't he catch at least one Pokemon without flubbing it up? How was he supposed to go back and face Tsukki as a failure again!? This journey was supposed to be different! Things were supposed to be better! All these thought raced through his mind as he did his best to not break down.

It was then that Yamaguchi heard a strange noise. It was like a whimper or perhaps a yawn. He whipped around to see the flowers moving where he and Popplio had just used water gun. Both Yamaguchi and Popplio got into a defensive stance on either side of the moving flowers. Perhaps not all the Flabébé had flown off.

Both watched in belated breath as a pink round cotton candy like creature emerged from the flowers. The creature was small, no bigger than a bag of cotton candy, and so poofy it's legs and arms were nowhere to be seen. A small pink tail stick out from below it's poofy body as it seemed to float with the wind. Yamaguchi was in shock for only a moment as he came to realize it was a Swirlix.

For the first time in a while Yamaguchi shook himself from his shock and took action. It may not have been his original target but he was not going to come back to the camp empty handed. "Popplio use tackle!" He commanded.

Just as quickly Popplio tackled the poofball. This seemed to startle Swirlix for it let loose a loud cry. The Swirlix seemed upset by the sudden attack and began to cry loudly. This caused Popplio to falter lowering her defense but Yamaguchi knew better.

"Don't believe it, Popplio, those tears are fake! Water gun, now!" Yamaguchi quickly instructed. He counted himself lucky that the Swirlix had just been awoken from a nap or this battle could have been a lot more hectic.

Acting quick Popplio sent a strong stream of water right at Swirlix. The small pink puffball flew back, dischovled from the attack. Not wanting to chance it, Yamaguchi produced a Pokeball from his back pocket.

"Here goes nothing!" he shouted at the threw the ball at the stunned Swirlix.

The red light of the ball swallowed up the pink Pokemon before falling into the flowers. Both Yamaguchi and Popplio rushed over to the ball to see if the catch took. The red light flashed, one, two, and three times before it clicked into submission.

"We did it, Popplio! We caught a Swirlix!" Yamaguchi sang as he scooped up the ball and did a little dance. All the while Popplio blew large celebratory bubbles before jumping into Yamaguchi's arms. Still full of utter joy, Yamaguchi caught Popplio in a large hug and swirled around twice all the while singing "You were just amazing!"

It took both Yamaguchi and Popplio a moment to come down from their high. This was the first time every Yamaguchi had ever caught a wild pokemon without it being an accident. A small warmth of pride swelled in his chest. He never imagined battling and catching a Pokemon would feel so great. He felt so accomplished. He couldn't wait to show Tsukki.

Oh, that's right! He had to show Tsukki! Yamaguchi looked around as Tsukki ran through his mind. He scanned the field finding that the camp was nowhere in sight. They had come from that direction, right? Yamaguchi's mind screamed as he looked in a random direction only to realize it led to the forest. They hadn't come from the forest.

"No worries, Popplio! I know how to get back to the camp," Yamaguchi insisted. Popplio was none too concerned. Yamaguchi on the other hand was quite concerned. They would just retrace their steps. He looked around for the rocks only to find two areas in the distance that had boulders. Yamaguchi couldn't remember what boulders he had been hunting around in. Panic began to set in.

"That battle wasn't too bad!" a very familiar voice came from behind both Yamaguchi and Popplio.

"Tsukki! What? Why are you here?" Yamaguchi gasped as he turned to face his friend.

"Just hunting for Pokemon myself and I happened upon you," Tsukishima shrugged, his cheeks dusted pink. Yamaguchi could tell what he said was probably a liying. He wanted to press on but chose to just let it go.

"Did you catch anything?" Yamaguchi tested.

"Nope. Didn't find anything of interest," Tsukishima cooly replied. "You look kind of beaten up though," he then pointed out, taking notice of the burns decorating Yamaguchi's arm's and cheeks and his charred shirt.

"Oh, yeah! Run in with a fire type," Yamaguchi shrugged. "I caught something, though. So it was worth the scrapes and bruises," he carried on with a proud smile. He held up the pokeball with Swirlix in it to prove his point.

"I saw," Tsukishima said with a half smile. It resembles the sort of smiles he sent when antagonizing people but whenever he did it to Yamaguchi it always had a much softer edge to it.

"Oh, uh, did you?" Yamaguchi awkwardly sputtered, realizing how lame his battle must have looked to someone with skills like Tsukki.

"Yeah," Tsukishima hummed, the odd smile still in place. "Not too shabby for a first time catch in the new region," he carried on, his tone neutral.

"I was like a clown compared to your catch, Tsukki," Yamaguchi quickly replied, not ready to take any sort of compliment. "You were much more on top of things. You didn't get flamethrower to the face nor bogged down by stun spore. It's like you can predict the moves of both your and the opponent Pokemon-"

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima cut him off with a frown.

"Sorry, Tsukki" Yamaguchi smile sheepishly, not at all sorry. Tsukki really was an amazing trainer.

A moment of silence hung between the two. Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi as if he wanted to tell him something but just couldn't find the wording. Yamaguchi could not help but feel that moments like this have been passing between the two quite often since arriving in Kalos. He hadn't a clue what was going on in Tsukki's mind and dare not ask. He looked to Tsukki with a small almost shy anticipating smile.

"We should probably head back to camp," Tsukishima almost sighed as he looked away from Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi swore he saw a blush on his cheeks. Perhaps it was just the heat of the day?

"Yeah, I'm totally beat," Yamaguchi agreed, his small smile now bright. He knew Tsukki would eventually tell him what was on his mind once he was ready.

With that the two trainers left the small patch of flowers and headed back to their camp. Tsukishima taking the lead, Yamaguchi followed after yammering on about his afternoon. He told him of every Pokemon he had run into and downplayed his horrible defeats. All the while Tsukishima hummed along here and there to show he was listening.

Yamaguchi had wanted to get dinner preparations on the way once arriving back at their camp site. He planned to make curry and had to get the veggies and berries cooking if he wanted it to taste any good. To his surprise Tsukishima stopped him before he could so much as unpack the ingredients.

"You can start on dinner in a bit," Tsukishima explained as he gently pushed Yamaguchi to sit in the shade of a boulder. His expression and tone was emotionless and flat causing Yamaguchi to sit down in confusion.

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi questioned as he watched Tsukki rummage around in a bag. It was only when Tsukki pulled out a can of burn cream and return to Yamaguchi did he understand. "Tsukki, you don't need-"

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima scolded, his tone holding a soft edge.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi mumbled as he allowed Tsukishima to examine his injured arm.

"It doesn't look too bad," Tsukishima hummed as he wiped the burns down gently. "You're lucky. Wild fire types can leave horrible burns if you're not careful," his tone almost sounded scolding.

"Right, I'll be more careful next time," Yamaguchi breathed as he did his best to fight the blush he felt coming. Tsukishima was rarely this gentle with anyone. He felt himself both lucky to receive such treatment but ashamed for disappointing the other trainer.

"Well, what is done is done," Tsukishima shrugged, applying a bandage to the burn.

Another moment of silence filled the air as Tsukishima carried on to the burn on his other arm and cheeks. Yamaguchi did his best not to blush too fiercely. Tsukishima's gentle hands brushing his skin setting his heart aflutter. Thoughts he dare not voice filled his head. He hadn't had a clue Tsukki could be so soft and gentle.

"I didn't realize you were such a good nurse," Yamaguchi softly commented as an almost sassy smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He knew Tsukki would deny it.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima sighed as he finished up the last bandage.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi gently giggled, failing to hide his amusement. Tsukishima sent him what was meant to be a disappointed look but held too much affection to have any real effect on Yamaguchi. The two held eye contact for a moment longer than normal. "Thank you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said with a bright smile.

A satisfying blush found its way onto Tsukishima's cheeks, though Yamaguchi only got a glimpse of it as Tsukishima stood up. "Rest up a bit and than we can start dinner," Tsukishima flatly commanded as he put the first aid kit away.

"Sure thing, Nurse Tsukki," Yamaguchi teased, his bright smile still present. Tsukishima chose not to reply this time.

With that the two young trainers settled into the camp for the evening. Yamaguchi falling fast asleep in the shade of the large rock. Tsukishima quietly sitting beside him as he flipped through a book. The calm atmosphere in the small camp carried on through the afternoon and into the evening.

Hurray! Finally out little Yama has caught his first Pokemon. I knew you could do it, Yama. With come faith, trust and pixy-dust you can do anything. This chapter was such a pleasure to write and I hope it was just as nice for you all to read. Now we have to wonder what comes next for our trainers? Will they make it to the next gym? Will both of them earn a badge? There is only one way to find out so tune in next time!

I am so sorry this chapter was so late. I ended up being away from home and without reliable internet to post this over my holiday. Chapter 7 shouldn't be such a problem since I will not be traveling. It should be up next weekend on time. I am sure of it!... Okay I am, like, 95% sure of it ^_^; trust me! It will be up!

As always, thank you all so much for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you guys so if you have a moment please leave me a review! TALK TO ME! I mean talk to me please :P

Well that's all for now! See you all next chapter!


	7. Santalune City

Hey all! So here is good old chapter 7. Things are definitely going to get rolling so I hope you are all ready. These next few chapters will be a course setter for sure!

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Chapter 7 HERE WE GO!

Santalune City: Part 1

It was late afternoon when Yamaguchi and Tsukishima arrived in Santalune City. They had spent an extra night in the meadow, both finding the area an easy place to relax and spend time training up their team a bit. If Yamaguchi was being honest, he had wanted to say a day longer because he just wasn't ready to face Santalune Gym. He knew his fears to be unwarranted and Tsukishima called him out several times on his reluctance. He told Yamaguchi he had caught Swirlix so there was nothing to be afraid of. Yamaguchi would nod in agreement but knew his capture of Swirlix was a lucky one if anything. If the cotton-candy-esque Pokemon had not been so drowsy from sleep, Yamaguchi had a feeling he probably would not have won so easily.

As the two entered the city, Yamaguchi allowed his eyes to wander. It was another new place and that meant things he had never seen before. Santalune City was much smaller than Lumiose City and even smaller than Hau'oli City back in Alola. If Yamaguchi were to have called this place anything he would have called it a town, not a city. Despite this, the small town had a very welcoming charm.

As they strolled down the street Yamaguchi's eye caught a nice large fountain that decorated the center of the town. Water rushed from the top tear of the fountain, to the second tier and then splashed into the pool below. The shimmering water gave off a sense of freshness that helped calm Yamaguchi's nerves. Popplio would definitely get a kick out of splashing about in the fountain. It was only a moment later that Yamaguchi realized Santalune Gym was right behind the fountain. A moment of dread washed over Yamaguchi but he did his very best not to show it.

The large building was nothing too out of the ordinary. It looked like any old gym you would see on your journey through any region. Despite all this, the large building loomed over Yamaguchi reminding the trainer of all his worries. An odd ball of pain began to fester in Yamaguchi's stomach as he swore the building grew in size in just the blink of an eye. Yamaguchi hadn't a clue that Tsukishima was watching him this whole time.

"We should probably go to the Pokemon Center first," Tsukishima spoke up, causing Yamaguchi to jump ever so slightly.

"What!?" Yamaguchi squawked in shock, his eyes darting from the gym building to his travel companion. His gaze was clouded for a moment as the anxiety he had felt began to subside to just an annoyance in the background of his mind.

"We've been traveling for three days so let's hit the Pokemon Center," Tsukishima reiterated, his tone holding the slightest hint of annoyance.

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi smiled sheepishly. "To the Pokemon Center!" He awkwardly cheered as he walked the opposite way of the gym.

"The Pokemon Center is that way," Tsukishima flatly pointed out, his finger pointing to the right.

"Right!" Yamaguchi sheepishly chortled, allowing Tsukki to take the lead.

By the time all their Pokemon had been discharged from the center it was already early evening. Tsukishima, having pointed out that the Gym was most likely closed, had decided to stay the night at the Pokemon Center's hostel. Part of Yamaguchi was flooded with relief but the other part of him just wished for the trip to the gym to just be over.

The small room they were assigned had two bunk beds. Tsukishima had claimed the top bunk leaving Yamaguchi the bottom. Once all their items had been unpacked and the two settled they had allowed their Pokemon to free roam the large room. Popplio and Bagon had decided to tussle about playfully on the floor. Snivy sat comfortably in Tsukishima's lap as they both read from a strategy book. Salazzle had decided to make herself comfortable on Yamaguchi's bed, curling up beside him as he read through a book of recipes. Swirlix, who had turned out to be the sleepiest of them all, had made herself comfortable on the top of their half emptied backpacks.

"Like Pokemon like trainer," Tsukishima had pointed out the first time Swirlix slept on the most uncomfortable of places.

"What's that supposed to mean," Yamaguchi had pouted.

Tsukishima's reply was a sassy smile and small shrug. Yamaguchi was well aware of the fact that he could sleep almost anywhere and through anything but did Tsukishima always have to point it out? It wasn't his fault if he valued sleep.

Yamaguchi's eyes flicked from his book to where Swirlix napped, remembering the moment. Just seeing the small pink puffball snooze caused Yamaguchi to stifle a yawn. I was way too late in the day for a nap and far too early to sleep. Distracting himself he looked to the two mysterious backpacks set by the bunk bed on the other side of the room. They had been told they'd be rooming with two others and Yamaguchi could not help but wonder who they were.

"I wonder if they are going to come back soon…" Yamaguchi hummed, not bothering to really specify whom he was referring to.

"As long as they are quiet, I don't really care," Tsukishima grumbled from the top bunk. He hadn't been too happy learning they'd have to share the room with two strangers.

"I wonder if they've challenged the gym yet," Yamaguchi carried on thoughtfully. Maybe they'd be able to lend him some pointers.

"What's the point of wondering," Tsukishima replied in mild annoyance. "You can ask them when they get here."

Yamaguchi replied with a thoughtful hum. Knowing Tsukki was done with the mundane conversation he returned to studying his cookbook. He had read up on Swirlix and wanted to try to make his newest team member pokechow she would love. As always, a clam silence graced the room, only the sounds of flipped pages and light snoring filled the air. Despite Yamaguchi's efforts, he began to fall into a snooze.

"I won my badge first so that make one point for me!"

Yamaguchi practically hit is head on the top bunk as whoever shouted came barrelling into their room. The whole bunk bed shook as Tsukishima also seemed to be taken by surprise. Eyes full of shock and heart beating from the door being slammed open, Yamaguchi looked to see who the intruder was.

"That's not how it works, you idiot!" Kageyama snapped as he and Hinata wrestled in the for frame. "Gym leaders can only battle one person at a time so this doesn't count!"

"Does too, ya jerk!" Hinata snapped back as he struggled against Kageyama.

"Does not," Kageyama barked at the exact moment both of them tumbled into the room.

Yamaguchi watched in utter shock as the dramatic episode played out at the room's entrance. He could here from above a breathy pained "Arceus, no!" from Tsukki. Popplio and Bagon watched from under the bed as Salazzle sat up at full alert next to Yamaguchi. The whole while Swirlix snoozed away on the backpack not taking notice of the scuffle. If he hadn't been so cought of guard, Yamaguchi probably would have found the situation hilarious.

It was then that Hinata took notice of the other inhabitants in the room. His eyes brightened with joy as he untangled himself from Kageyama. "Yamaguchi! It's you!" Hinata greeted, his tone friendly and upbeat.

A not so pleased grunt could be heard from the top of Yamaguchi's bunk causing Hinata to shoot the top bunk a glare.

"H-Hinata, Kageyama!" Yamaguchi sputtered still in shock. He had not expecting to see his new friends so soon. "Are you two our roommates?" He asked though he already knew the answer.

"We sure are!" Hinata cheered as he leaped further into the room, planting himself comfortably on the foot of Yamaguchi's bed. "Looks like we are rooming together! What a coincidence!" Hinata smiled brightly as he leaned into Yamaguchi a bit too close.

All the while Kageyama brushed himself off and made himself comfortable on the bottom bunk of the bed opposite to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima's. "So, are you two here for a gym battle, too?" Kageyama gruffly asked, his eyes more on Yamaguchi than Tsukishima.

It was then that Tsukishima climbed down from his bunk. "I'm going out for a walk," He grumbled, ignoring Kageyama's question all together. Both Salazzle and Snivy following after. Kageyama sent Tsukishima a glare the whole time. It was only when the door shut did anyone speak again.

"Sheesh, what's his problem?" Hinata growled, his eyes fixed on the door. "Did he lose against the gym leader or something?"

"He just needs his space sometimes," Yamaguchi politely explained, a nervous edge to his voice.

Hinata gave a small shrug as he turned back to Yamaguchi. "Have you and Tsukishima been to the gym yet?" Hinata asked. His tone and demeanor was up beat but its hyper edge was now gone.

"We just arrived here this afternoon and haven't had a chance," Yamaguchi replied with a shake of his head. "I take it you two have?"

"We got here last night and went today," Kageyama confirmed, his sharp eyes now fixed on Yamaguchi and Hinata.

"I got my badge first," Hinata proudly said as he showed the Bug Badge to Yamaguchi. It was in the shape of a beetle and looked to be made of brass with small green emeralds adorning it's pincher and wings.

"Was it difficult?" Yamaguchi asked, trying his best to hid his nerves.

"The gym leader, Viola, did put up a good battle but in the end my team swept her team," Hinata proudly announced.

"You barely won," Kageyama called out, glaring at Hinata. "You're just lucky Charmander has an advantage over bug type."

"A win is a win," Hinata snapped in defence. Kageyama replied with a sneer.

Yamaguchi could not tell if the two were enemies or friends with the way they argued. He himself would never be able to befriend someone who wanted to argue with him constantly. The mere idea caused his nerves to swell up.

"So are you two going to battle the gym tomorrow?" Hinata asked in excitement.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Yamaguchi reluctantly replied.

"I bet you're excited! I know I was! I just couldn't wait!" Hinata rembled on, almost vibrating as he went.

Yamaguchi anxiety about the whole ordeal only grew with each word Hinata spoke. It had taken him a while to calm himself after his mild panic attack today and Hinata's enthuseasum wasn't helping in any way.

"Shut up, dumbass, not everyone is as juvenile as you are about gym battles," Kageyama snapped in annoyance. Yamaguchi could not tell if Kageyama took notice of his anxiety or if it was just a coincidence but he silently thanked him.

Hinata shot Kageyama a look before his eyes settled on Begon and Popplio who had only just come out from under the bed. "Wow, is that a Bagon?!" Hinata exclaimed as he scooped the startled dragon up. "Is it yours!? Is it?" Hinata rapidfire asked as Bagon struggled to be let free. It was only when Bagon sent a small burst of flames did Hinata drop him and Begon ran to hide behind Yamaguchi.

"No, he belongs to Tsukishima," Yamaguchi calmly explained as he did his best to comfort the shook Bagon.

"Arceus, Hinata, learn some manners," Kageyama grumbled from his bed.

"What!? No fair! Saltyshima doesn't deserve such a cool Pokemon!" Hinata pouted as he ignored Kageyama's unwanted comment.

Yamaguchi chose to ignore the nickname Hinata had just come up with as he laughed nervously. "Tsukki really does catch all the cool Pokemon," he agreed, his tone holding much more affection than Hinata's had.

"So, did you catch anything new on your way here?" Hinata asked, his pout less prominent now.

"Actually, I did catch a Swirlix," Yamaguchi shily admitted. His eyes wandered over to where his Swirlix still lay sleeping on the backpacks.

Hinata followed his gaze before releasing an excited gasp. "I've never seen a Swirlix in person!" Hinata cheered, leaping from the bed and over to the sleeping Pokemon. Without missing a beat he scooped the snoozing Swirlix up into his arms.

"H-Hinata!" Yamaguchi found himself stuttering. Swirlix was still a new Pokemon so he hadn't a clue how she would react to such an awakening.

"Oh she is so soft! Like a cloud or cotton candy!" Hinata rambled on as he rubbed his cheek against Swirlix's. Buy this point Swirlix was more than awake. Her confused gaze wandered the room but she didn't seem too bothered by the affection. To Yamaguchi's shock she looked to be falling back to sleep.

"Idiot! You don't grab other people's Pokemon like that," Kageyama scolded.

"Shut up! Swirlix likes it," Hinata retorted sharply, snuggling Swirlix with a little more aggression to prove his point. Swirlix didn't seem to mind.

"He is right, Hinata," Yamaguchi cut in, his tone much softer. "It can be dangerous and startling to the Pokemon if you just pick them up suddenly like that."

Hinata pouted for a moment before handing Swirlix over to Yamaguchi. "Yeah, I guess you are right," Hinata sighed as Swirlix curled up next to Bagon.

"That's what I said," Kageyama grumbled.

"Well maybe if you were a bit nicer, like Yama, people would listen to you," Hinata snapped, pointing to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi felt the need to hide.

"What? Do you need to be coddled? You're not a baby!" Kageyama sneered.

"Being nice to someone doesn't mean you're coddling them, right Yama?" Hinata snapped, looking to Yamaguchi for support.

Yamaguchi did not want to be a part of the argument and found himself smiling nervously as he released a reluctant "Well…"

"Don't drag him into this," Kageyama said with a frown.

"You're the one who started it," Hinata shouted, stomping his foot to emphasize his anger. His rough action caused both Tsukishima's and Yamaguchi's bags to topple over and some of the content to spill out.

"Now look what you've done," Kageyama grumbled, with a deep frown.

"It's only because you antagonize me!" Hinata snapped before looking at the spilled content. "Sorry, Yama," he then apologized as he bent down to clean up the mess.

"No, it's okay. We should have closed our bags properly," Yamaguchi waved him off, shuffling over and helping Hinata clean up with mess. Only a few items had fallen out so no harm was done. It was when Hinata let loose a sharp gasp that Yamaguchi gave a small jump.

"Wow, is this a Luxury Ball?" Hinata gasped as he pulled the black and gold ball from Yamaguchi's pack.

A moment of pure paralyzing panic spread through Yamaguchi's limbs upon sight of the ball.

"Is this your's, Yama?" Hinata gasped as he studied the beautiful ball. "It looks like you've caught something in it? What's in it?"

"It's nothing!" Yamaguchi snapped as he scooped the ball out of Hinata's hands. Kageyama and Hinata looked to him in mild shock. Yamaguchi looked to the two in embarrassment for the outburst.

"Is everything okay, Yama?" Hinata asked in worry.

Yamaguchi's nervously fiddled with the ball. It did indeed hold a pokemon. It was his first ever caught pokemon from years ago but he was nowhere near ready to face it again.

Before anymore could be said, the door to the room swung open. Yamaguchi looked up to find a slightly less grouchy Tsukki. With Hinata and Kageyama's attention on the door, Yamaguchi quietly slipped the Luxury Ball back into his pack.

"Look who I found," Tsukishima flatly anounded before striding into the room. Following him was a very shy Yachi.

"Hey everyone," Yachi greeted mekly.

"Yachi!" Yamaguchi found himself smiling in greeting. He had almost forgotten that Yachi had been traveling with Hinata and Kageyama.

"Hey, Yamaguchi. Long time no see," Yachi sweetly replied. "I was waiting for you two by the entrance," she then stated looking to Hinata and Kageyama.

"Oh, right, we forgot!" Hinata sheepishly admitted.

"Dumbass here got caught up gloating about his gym badge," Kageyama grumbled.

"You also forgot, too," Hinata accused.

"I don't know how you put up with those two ideos," Tsukishima sighed, his tone flat.

Yachi replied with a sheepish shrugged. She also hadn't a clue how she made it this far without dying of stress. "We are going to get dinner now if you two want to join us?" Yachi offered, not wanting to answer the prior question.

"Sure, why not," Yamaguchi replied only to find Tsukishima frown in mild disapproval. He could not help but internally apologize.

Dinner had been quite the spectacle. While Yamaguchi, Tsukishima and Yachi had a civil conversation, Hinata and Kageyama seemed to be having some sort of eating contest. Just the sight of the two scarfing down their dinner made Yamaguchi queasy.

"Do they always eat like barbarians?" Tsukishima grumbled as he sent the odd duo a disapproving glance.

"Only sometimes," Yachi replied though her tone seemed to hint that it most likely happened more often than not.

Dinner had passed just as fast and before they knew it the sun way down and they had all congregated back in the room. Yamaguchi had gotten right to work on feeding their Pokemon. Yachi, Hinata and even Kageyama had shown with pure awe at finding out Yamaguchi had hand crafted all the Pokemon chow for Tsukishima and himself.

"You mean to tell me you made this Pokechow?" Hinata gasped as he examined one of the pieces of star shaped Pokefood.

"I was wondering why they were all shaped like stars. I had never seen that in store before," Yachi added, her tone also holding a fair amount of amazement.

"Yeah, my mom taught me how to make Pokechow as a kid," Yamaguchi shily admitted. He was never good at taking compliments.

"Wow, I wish I had learned how to make it," Yachi hummed, her tone holding a surprising amount of envy. "Homemade food is always better for the Pokemon and as a future showcase contestant, making my own chow would probably put me at an advantage," she carried on as she examined a piece of the food.

"Well, I can show you how to make some if you want," Yamaguchi offered. "It's really not that hard."

"What? That would be great," Yachi answered almost too quickly, startling Yamaguchi.

"I want to learn how to make it, too," Hinata cut in, getting up into Yamaguchi's bubble.

"No way! You'll probably burn the place down," Tsukishima sneered from the bed. Yamaguchi did his best to stifle a laugh.

"What was that, four eyes," Hinata snapped. His insult didn't seem to bother Tsukishima.

"I can show all of you if you want," Yamaguchi quickly offered before an argument broke out.

"You're really nice, Yamaguchi," Hinata sweetly cheered. "Much nicer than some people," he than added in a deeper tone, his eyes darting from Tsukishima to Kageyama. Tsukishima replied with a disinterested shrug while Kageyama scowled at Hinata.

"Maybe you can show us tomorrow after your gym battle," Yachi suggested hopefully.

"Right! You have a gym battle tomorrow!" Hinata added in excitement.

"I almost forgot," Yamaguchi lied, doing his best to put on an excited front. Fortunately for him, Hinata was too dense to pick up on anything but Yachi seemed to see right through him.

"Gym battles can be so stressful and scary," Yachi sighed as if she was trying to relate to Yamaguchi's unspoken nerves. "I can never think fast enough to command my pokemon and before I know it, they have all fainted," she carried on as if the past haunted her in a very similar way it hunted Yamaguchi.

"Yeah, I can sometimes stumble over my commands, too," Yamaguchi unintentionally admitted aloud. Upon realizing this he felt his cheeks go bright red with embarrassment though no one seemed put off by it.

"I never get nervous when battling. I just comand my pokemon and they always pull through," Hinata enthusiastically added. He didn't seem to be picking up on the melancholy mood Yamaguchi and Yachi were putting out.

"Shut up, dumbass. No one asked you," Kageyama growled from the bottom bunk of is and Hinata's bed.

"Stay out of our conversation!" Hinata squawk back.

"The conversation is open to everyone in the room," Kageyama retorted sharply.

"Not if you are going to be a grump about it," Hinata retorted, now up in Kageyama's space.

"Oh Arceus, not again," Tsukishima sighed from the top if his and Yamaguchi's bunk. Yamaguchi could not help but release a small nervous laugh at how put off Tsukishima was.

"There is no need to worry about tomorrow, Yamaguchi," Yachi cut in, ignoring the squabble going on in the room. "I'm sure you and your pokemon are going to do fine." Her smile, though reassuring, did not ease the burning feeling of anxiety at the pit of Yamaguchi's stomach.

"Right," Yamaguchi half heartedly agreed. He had a feeling his face was probably paler than it had been before. "It will be fine."

Yachi smile once more. She seemed unsure of what else to say to Yamaguchi and turned her attention to the two squabbling trainers. Yamaguchi, still phased from the anxiety he felt building, sat himself on his bed as he blakely watched Yachi's failed attempts to break up Hinata and Kageyama.

Despite what everyone told him, Yamaguchi did not feel at all ready for the gym battle. He had never participated in one and hadn't a clue what to expect. If they were anything like any other battle, it will probably end in his defeat. The idea of losing so quickly into this journey frightened Yamaguchi. This journey was meant to be different from before.

Ohhh Gosh! Here we go! Are you all read for it!? Do you believe in Yamaguchi? Will he be able to face the gym and win? What about Tsukki? Will he pull through as well? Stay tuned to find out :D

Hey all! So I got chapter 7 out on time! Yessss! I will most likely get chapter 8 out next week no problem!

As always, thank you all so much for the kind reviews and comments as well as the follows, bookmarks and kudos. I love hearing from my readers. It give me so much drive to write more and make sure this is getting out one time.

Don't be afraid to drop a comments and tell me how you think it is going! I have so much planned for this series! We ain't even started. I am also genuinely interested in knowing how all of you would picture our boys in a Pokemon AU so do share.

Well, that's all for now! See you all next chapter!


	8. Santalune Gym: Part 1

Hey all! Here it is! Chapter 8! I hope you are ready for the first Gym battle time and a small sample of the past! This is going to be a good old two parter. We finally get to see if our dear old Yama really is as horrible a battler as he makes himself out to be. Hopefully he pulls through and makes us all proud. Go Yama, go!

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Let's go! Chapter 8!

Santalune Gym: Part 1

Yamaguchi was terrified. In all his 11 years of being on this earth he had never wandered so far into the Vast Poni Canyon. He had milled around the entrance to the large intimidating canyon with his mother once or twice but never alone. He had heard many a story of the terribly strong Pokemon that filled the canyon. Only those who have passed many island trials were allowed to venture into the depth of the canyon yet here he and Tsukki were.

"T-Tsukki, maybe we should turn back," Yamaguchi sputtered as he followed after his much braver friend.

"You can turn back if you want to," Tsukishima cooly replied as he glanced over his shoulder at his shooken friend.

Yamaguchi had considered doing so several times but each time realized there was no way he would be able to make it back to his house boat on his own. What if he were to get even more lost? What if a wild Pokemon were to attack him? What if a wild Pokemon were too attack Tsukki!? Splitting up would be far too risky.

"Tsukki, you know I can't do that," Yamaguchi whined, half hoping his moaning would grate enough on Tsukki to get him to give up. "I'd never be able to make it back alone."

"You didn't have to follow me to begin with," Tsukishima cooly pointed out. His resolve didn't seem to waver, not even in the slightest.

Yamaguchi sent a frustrated glance towards his best friend. If Tsukki noticed it, he didn't react. Yamaguchi loved his best friend with all his heart but this thing he had with his older brother was sometimes just plain ridiculous. Upon hearing Akiteru's return for a short visit, Tsukki had insisted they go out and catch a strong Pokemon from Poni Canyon. Tsukki always got this way when it came to his older brother.

A tense silence hung between the two. The large canyon walls reached high into the sky making Yamaguchi feel like he was straight up trapped. The bushes that lined the walls didn't help with his nerves for every time the wind blew and they moved, Yamaguchi would release a very lousy squeak. As the two passed under a large impressive naturally occurring rock archway, the howl of a Lycanroc filled the air.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi cried out in fear as he latched onto his friend's arm.

Tsukishima turned the direction to where the howl had come from. A stubborn determination set heavy in his eyes as he scanned the tall grass. Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a flip. He hoped Tsukki wasn't about to do something reckless.

"Wait here, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima instructed cooly as he made his way to the tall grass.

"Tsukki, no!" Yamaguchi hissed in a mad panic.

"I'm just going to check it out," Tsukishima snapped, his gaze much more stern than Yamaguchi had ever seen. "Now be quiet and wait here," Tsukishima's tone was final and held no room for argument.

Slightly taken back by Tsukki's behaviour, Yamaguchi clamped his lips shut. He watched in utter panic as Tsukki disappeared into the tall wild grass. He wished to call out to his friend but his voice got lost somewhere in his throat. A small shiver ran down his spine as he leaned against the canyon's wall.

All sorts of horrible scenarios rapid fire flashed through Yamaguchi's mind. What if Tsukki got lost and never came back? What if Tsukki got hurt? What if Tsukki wasn't able to take on that Lycanroc? What if it hurt Tsukki?! It would surely come for him next! A small muffled whimper fought it's way past Yamaguchi's tight throat.

Slumping to the floor, Yamaguchi did his best to keep it together. He wasn't going to cry. He was 11 years old now. He had spent the past year traveling all over the Alolan Islands with Tsukki. He could last being alone in the Vast Poni Canyon for a few minutes.

Despite his best to calm his nerves, Yamaguchi did not feel in the least bit better. With the sun beginning to set, he and Tsukki had to head back soon or they'd be stuck in the canyon in the dark. If he didn't make it back to his house boat by curfew his mother would surely panic. What if she got so mad she forbade him from ever seeing Tsukki again? The idea of never being able to see Tsukki terrified Yamaguchi. Tsukki was not just the only friend he had but his best friend in the whole wide world.

Yamaguchi once again did his best to calm himself down. Getting worked up would not help any. That's what his grandmother always told him when something spooked him in the night. This wasn't any different. Poni Canyon probably wasn't as dangerous as people say it is. In hopes to distract himself, Yamaguchi plunged his hand into his pocket. With any luck he'd have a snack or something he could focus his attention on.

He fiddled his fingers around for only a moment as he pulled out his pocket's only content. He produced a small black pokeball with gold and red decorating it. It was the luxury ball he had won in a raffle two days ago. He had almost forgotten about it. Pushing the button of the ball, it grew to it's full Pokeball size. Yamaguchi studied the black pokeball as its gorgeous red and golden accents glittered under the setting sun.

A sense of wonder only slightly replaced his fear as he examined the ball. Tsukki had told him these balls were the most expensive of all Pokeball and Pokemon caught in luxury balls were said to live happier lives. Both Tsukki and his mother had prompted him to use the ball but Yamaguchi could not bring himself to do it. He had the sinking feeling that whatever he tried to catch in it would just escape and leave the ball void.

It was as this passed through his mind that Yamaguchi hear it. It sounded like a growl. With his knees shaky, Yamaguchi stumbled to his feet. His eyes scanned the area. Perhaps it had just been his imagination. To his dismay the growl sounded once more.

"T-T-Tsukki?" Yamaguchi sputtered weakly.

He looked in the direction of the growl. It was opposite from where Tsukki had disappeared into the grass. The growl sounded once more, this time much closer.

"Tsukki, i-is th-that y-y-you?" Yamaguchi's voice wavered beyond understanding as he spoke. His body shook with fear as his back pressed firmly against the rock wall.

With another loud growl the hidden Pokemon stumbled out of the grass into the small walking path. Yamaguchi muffled a small cry as he came eyes to eye with a very angry Jangmo-o. The small silver plated dragon looked angry beyond all belief as it limped his way. Yamaguchi, still to shocked by the sudden encounter did not take notice of the pokemon's heavy limp.

"H-Hello there, l-little guy," Yamaguchi sputtered as the angry dragon approached him, it's teeth bared. "L-Little g-girl?" He almost comically corrected himself. Jangmo-o growled once more.

A moment passed between the young trainer and Pokemon. Both waiting for the other to make the first move. Yamaguchi's whole body went numb as the quadrupedal dragon sized him up. It didn't seem at all impressed with what it saw.

A snapping branch in the distance sounded off and echoed down the canyon walls. Almost like a switch flucking on, the angry Jangmo-o lunged towards Yamaguchi, it's teeth and claws fully bearded. Yamaguchi released a loud piercing scream that echoed throughout the whole of Vast Poni Canyon. Almost on instinct, Yamaguchi threw the luxury ball at the charging Pokemon. Just a Jangmo-o was about to tackle Yamaguchi, the glittering black ball hit it smack between the eyes. With a small click the red light of the luxury ball swallowed Jangmo-o up.

The ball closed tight and landed on the ground just in front of Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi watched in utter shock as the ball wiggled and rolled. His eyes fixed on the small button that flashed from white to red as he prayed for the catch to take effect. With a loud click, the ball stopped moving signifying that Jangmo-o had lost.

Yamaguchi's body went numb as he slumped to the floor. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes still on the luxury ball. Had he really just caught a Jangmo-o? This was his first catch ever. Part of Yamaguchi felt like he should be celebrating his first ever successful catch but the fear from the moment still hung heavy in his mind. With still shaking hands he scooped the luxury ball up.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima called in worry as he came rushing out of the tall grass. His amber eyes held nothing but concern as he found his friend slumped on the ground. "I heard you scream-"

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi cut in before his friend could finish. His voice still lost from the attack, he held the ball up to his friend.

Tsukishima's worry was now replaced with confusion as he looked to the ball. He recognised it as the one Yamaguchi had won only days ago. It only took him a second to realize that perhaps Yamaguchi had caught something in his absence. He looked to his friend in shock. What had he missed?

Yamaguchi was by no means ready for this gym battle. As he sat in the spectator bleachers between Kageyama and Yachi, he did his best not to shake from his nerves. He wished with all his heart that Yachi, Kageyama and Hinata hadn't come to watch. He had hoped they'd leave in the morning to carry on with their journey. It was just his luck that both Hinata and Kageyama insisted on watching Tsukishima and himself battle. Both trainers seemed far too excited to see others battle a gym.

"Tsukishima thinks he is so cool but Viola and her bug types are totally going to wipe that smug look off his face," Hinata comments from the other side of Yachi.

"With the way he won against you, Tsukishima probably isn't going to have any problems against Viola," Kageyama retorted from beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi stiffened, wanting nothing more than for the two to shut up. Their constant bickering did not help his nerves. He cursed himself for not being more assertive and telling the two off.

"Hey, you two promised no bickering, remember?" Yachi scolded in Yamaguchi's stead.

Both Hinata and Kageyama looked to Yachi as if they were about to burst. Both wanting nothing more than to spit another insult at the other but did well to retain the urge. Yamaguchi silently thanked Yachi for intervening so quickly before returning his attention to the field.

Tsukishima stood on the far right of the field as he waited for Viola to make her entrance. They had decided that he would go before Yamaguchi so that Yamaguchi could get a good understanding of the type of gym Viola ran. Yamaguchi felt a wave of mild envy at how calmly and cooly Tsukki stood on the field. He wished for nothing more than to be as calm as Tsukki was in the face of an important battle.

The gym was very unique and if Yamaguchi wasn't so terrified he'd even call it beautiful. The roof of the building was made of glass making the gym look more like a greenhouse than a gym. The battlefield itself was made of dirt but surrounding it were large bushy plants and huge reaching trees that almost touched the glass roof. Yamaguchi had been impressed by the decor and wish he had come under circumstances where he could enjoy it.

It wasn't long when a large door on the far side of the gym swung open. A confident woman with green eyes and shoulder length blond hair entered and approached the battlefield. She smiled confidently as she sized up Tsukishima.

"Thats Viola," Yamaguchi heard Hinata whisper.

"I take it you're Tsukishima Kei?" Viola asked her tone much softer than Yamaguchi expected.

Tsukishima silently nodded in reply. He didn't hold a hint of fear or worry.

"I heard you came all the way from Alola to join the Kalos League," Viola smiled attempting to engage with the younger trainer.

Tsukishima gave another small nod and silent "Yes, that is correct."

"Damn, is he always this rude?" Yamaguchi heard Hinata grumble.

"I am Viola, the Santalune Gym leader," Viola introduced.

"I expected as much," Tsukishima replied, his tone neutral.

Tsukishima's bluntness didn't seem to bother Viola for she merely laughed at his remark. "I take it you're the no funny business type then?" she said with a playful wink.

Both Hinata and Kageyama muffled their giggles at Tsukishima's expense. Tsukishima looked to the stands shooting daggers at the two. Yamaguchi could not help but send him a sorry smile as he made no effort to stop the two.

"I'm just focused," Tsukishima replied, doing his best to ignore the peanut gallery in the stands

"Right then, shall we get started?" Viola replied, seemingly understanding what Tsukishima wanted.

With that the referee cleared his throat, winning everyone's attention.

"This battle is an official gym battle between Tsukishima Kei of Poni Island and Viola the Santalune Gym Leader," the referee began. "This is a three on three battle. The challenger is allowed to switch out his three Pokemon at any point in the battle but the gym leader may not. Whoever is left with a Pokemon able to battle is the winner. The first to have all three Pokemon knocked out and unable to battle will be the loser. You may now start your battle."

"Bagon, let's go!" Tsukishima cooly called.

"Surskit, make me proud," Viola shouted in unison with Tsukishima.

Yamaguchi watched in a mix of awe and fear as Bagon and Surskit sized each other up. The small blue spider like pokemon looked more cute than intimidating but Yamaguchi knew better than to judge a pokemon by it's cover.

"Surskit, use bubble!" Viola commanded with confidence.

Surskit was very fast and Yamaguchi would have missed the attack if he blinked. Despite this Bagon was just barely able to dodge the bubble attack.

"Bagon, use bite," Tsukishima commanded, his tone level and cool. Bagon jumped into action just barely landing a bite on the fast moving Surskit.

"Damn him for being so calm and collected," Hinata groaned from beside Yachi. Yamaguchi silently agreed, wishing nothing more than to be as cool as his best friend.

The battle between Bagon and Surskit was fast and action packed. If one were to look away for a moment they'd miss a well executed move. Despite Surskit's intense speed, Bagon was able to hold his own. Before long Bagon had been announced victorious.

The next Pokemon Viola called out was a gorgeous pink Vivillon. The butterfly's pink wing shown beautifly under the bright late morning sun. Yamaguchi could not help but look on in amazement at its beauty as the second round commenced. Tsukishima had chosen to carry on with Bagon.

"This is where things got tough," Hinata sighed in frustration.

"Her Vivillon is a tough Pokemon to beat," Kageyama agreed.

The battle between Vivillon and Bagon was intense. Vivillon being able to fly up high made it hard for Bagon to land a blow but Tsukishima was the most clever trainer Yamaguchi knew. Using Surskit's leftover sticky web, Bagon and Tsukishima were able to capture the butterfly and land the finishing blow. Yamaguchi could not help but envy how Tsukki so easily thought on his feet.

"You're a pretty strong battler," Viola commented with a small frustrated smile. "It's been a while since someone has been able to take out both my Surskit and Vivillon with one Pokemon," as she spoke she held her last Pokemon's pokeball.

Tsukishima gave a small shrug in repliance to her compliment as he called back his exhausted Bagon. "You did a great job," he cooly praised as he attached Bagon to his belt and selected his next ball.

"This last one isn't going to be so easy to beat," Viola smiled, her eye were full of a mix of determination and excitement. "Masquerain, let show this kid how strong we really are," she called as she tossed the ball high. Out flew a beautiful white moth like pokemon with large magnificent orange and red feelers, that reminded Yamaguchi of angry eyeballs.

"Salazzle, let end this," Tsukishima commanded as he called out his next Pokemon.

Salazzle appeared on the field, more than ready for a battle. She gave a low hiss as she sized up Masquerain. She didn't seem in the least bit worried.

"It's my first time seeing an Alolan Pokemon like this," Viola commented, her tone and posture still pumped with excitement. "Masquerain use Air Slasher!"

Masquerain gave as small cry before batting it's wings and executing the attack. Salazzle easily dodged. She looked up with as hiss at Masquerain as if she were mocking her opponent's miss.

"Use swagger, Salazzle," Tsukishima calmly instructed.

Salazzle, with a very satisfied hiss, puffed herself up to look as big, tough, and condescending as possible. The attacked seemed to work for Masquerain got so upset it became terribly confused.

"Masquerain, no!" Viola cried as Masquerain wandered the battle field in uttar angry confusion.

Yamaguchi always enjoyed watching Salazzle battle. She was such an animated Pokemon on the field and so strong. There was something about her that pumped Yamaguchi up and helped take the edge off his nerve. Perhaps it was how sweet she always was to him. Or it was how much pleasure she got out of tormenting her opponent. Whatever it was, Yamaguchi loved to see her battle.

It wasn't long before Salazzle landed the finishing blow on Masquerain. Both Hinata and Kageyama's gasps of surprised filled the gym as the referee announced that "Masquerain is unable to battle. Tsukishima is the winner."

"That was even faster than you, Kageyama," Hinata gasped in amazement.

"Salazzle is a strong Pokemon," Kageyama sourly ademited.

Yamaguchi was so proud of his best friend. He could not help but smile as Viola congratulated him and handed him the bug badge. It was only after Tsukishima left the field did dred fill Yamaguchi's gut once more.

Well there ya go! Tsukki is a pretty cool cucumber. Hopefully his amazing battle skills will be able to inspire Yamaguchi to reach deep within and pull through! Are you guys ready for this!? The moment of truth! Stay tuned for the next chapter to see if this is going to be a two for one win!

Hey all! I am going to be crazy busy the next 2 weekends after this one so expect chapter 9 to be up early. I will try to get it up between this weekend and Thursday depending on the time I have. I won't leave you guys hanging for two weeks with this split chapter. I'm a mean person but I'm not that mean.

As always, thank you all for the support! I love to read all the comments and reviews so please keep them coming! Let me know your thoughts and such. I mean it. It gives me fule to keep typing.

Well, that is all for now. See you next chapter!


	9. Santalune Gym: Part 2

Here we go! Chapter 9! I have decided to post it a bit on the early side since I do now know how the rest of my week is going to pan out! I wanted to make sure part two got out before I went on my trip. I hope you are all ready to see how Yama deals with his first gym battler. Do you think he is going to walk away a champion or a cry baby loser? There is only one way to find out!

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Chapter 9, I choose you!

Santalune Gym: Part 2

"It's your turn now, Yama!" Hinata cheered as he gave Yamaguchi a thumbs up.

Yamaguchi went stiff as a board as he did his best to hide his fear behind a wavering smile. He turned in Hinata's general direction as his face ached from the fake smile. "R-r-right," he stuttered as he earned a concerned look from Yachi and a large grin from Hinata.

"Are you okay, Yamaguchi?" Yachi asked tentatively.

"Just fine," Yamaguchi replied far too quickly. Yachi shot him one last unsure look as she gave a small nod.

"Viola isn't terribly difficult," Kageyama comments from the other side of Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi turned to see Kageyama's eyes fixed on the field. He couldn't make out whether he was saying this in comfort or if he was trying to rationalize Tsukki's fast defeat of the gym.

"W-Well I better be going," Yamaguchi stammered as he shakily stood up. He had to get it together or he wouldn't be able to so much as call out a single pokemon.

"Good luck, Yama," Hinata cheered as Yamaguchi stiffly made his way out of the bleachers.

"We'll be cheering for you!" Yachi sweetly called after.

Once off the bleachers Yamaguchi made his way down the hall that led to the field. The world around him seemed to go fuzzy as his anxiety grew. This was just a battle. A simple ordinary battle. No big deal if he lost. He could just come back and try again. Yamaguchi told himself over and over in a futile attempt to calm himself down.

Yamaguchi was so lost in his worry that he didn't even react when he bumped head first into Tsukki. Tsukki released a small annoyed grunt upon the collision but his annoyance seemed to evaporate upon seeing his best friend. Yamaguchi, face pale and body shaking, looked up with a small "Sorry…" It was almost as if he didn't even realize it was Tsukki he was addressing.

"Yamaguchi…" Tsukishima spoke, his tone sterner than usual. "Calm down before you kill yourself," he carried on, his tone a bit softer but by no means nurturing.

"T-Tsukki!" Yamaguchi cried in mild panic upon realizing who it was talking with him. "Tsukki, I can't…" he started before coming to his senses.

"Viola is nice, so calm down," Tsukishima cut in sternly. "Don't forget to breathe."

Yamaguchi looked deep into Tsukishima's eye knowing his friend was doing his best to help. He breathed deeply through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. He repeated this a few times more and with each exhale his stress subsided greatly. Before long, his nerves were more of a lingering annoyance than anything.

"Thanks Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed with a thankful smile once he felt his heart return to a normal pace.

"Just go out there and do what you can," Tsukishima flatly replied. "And if things don't go accordingly we can always come back. It's not a big deal."

"Right," Yamaguchi replied with a bit of reluctance. Isn't this the part where your friend is supposed to assure you that you will win for sure? Yamaguchi new better than to expect that from Tsukki. He was far too much of a realist for empty praise.

"I will be up in the bleachers," Tsukishima said before turning on his heels. "See you after the battle."

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi called after as Tsukishima headed in the opposite direction. "And congratulations on the win!" he added, feeling bad to have not said so earlier.

Tsukishima replied with a wave of his hand but did not bother looking back before turning the corner to the bleachers.

Yamaguchi watched until Tsukki was out of sight. His eyes lingered on the corner where Tsukki had just turned before he breathed deeply through his nose and exhaled through his mouth once more. Tsukki was right. He just need to do his best and if it wasn't enough than he would just have to try again. With that thought in mind, he turned and header towards the battlefield.

Yamaguchi must have taken longer than he had realized for when he had entered onto the field Hinata called out to him with a very converened "Is everything okay?" Yamaguchi replied with a smile and a nod, not feeling like yelling.

Yamaguchi made his way to the challenger's spot on the field. It had been years since he had battled on an official field. Standing on the field with the lush green trees and shrubs lining it he could not help but feel another wave of dread. He knew he was not ready for this battle but his pride would not let him turn away now. He could not avoid battles forever. 

"So, you must be Yamaguchi Tadashi. Also, from Alola?" Viola questioned with a large friendly smile. Perhaps she could sense Yamaguchi's reluctance for she spoke much softer with him than she had with Tsukki.

"Y-yes!" Yamaguchi replied quite stiffly.

"Well, I am looking forward to another battle against an Alolan trainer," Viola said with a laugh, obviously wanting to help ease Yamaguchi's nerves. "Must be my lucky day."

Despite Viola's efforts Yamaguchi did not feel any better about the battle. He smiles nonetheless and gave a very strained laugh of agreeance. This seemed to be enough for the gym lester for she smiled in reply.

"Shall we get this battle underway then?" Viola asked as she gave a nod to the referee. Yamaguchi nodded in agreement, far too scared to open his mouth in fear of vomiting.

"This battle is an official gym battle between Yamaguchi Tadashi of Poni Island and Viola the Santalune Gym Leader," the referee began just like he had with Tsukishima's battle. "This is a three on three battle. The challenger is allowed to switch out his three Pokemon at any point in the battle but the gym leader may not. Whoever is left with a Pokemon able to battle is the winner. The first to have all three Pokemon knocked out and unable to battle will be the loser. You may now start your battle."

"Surskit, come on out," Viola called as a Surskit, different from the one before, lept from it's ball. Yamaguchi took notice of how this Surskit didn't seem to be as gunhoe as the last Surskit Tsukishima had faced.

"Swirlix, I choose you!" Yamaguchi stiffly commanded. Swirlix leapt onto the stage, looking mildly sleepy. This wasn't going too well for Yamaguchi and he knew it.

"Surskit, use bubble," Viola commanded much faster than Yamaguchi was expecting.

"Swirlix, look out!" Yamaguchi did his best to warn but to no avail Swirlix took a direct hit. The poor cotton candy Pokemon cried as the bubbles burst all around. Yamaguchi did his best to keep what little cool he had intact. "Swirlix, Fairy Wind!" he commanded in a shaky voice.

Swirlix gave a muffled cry before deploying the attack. The wind blew the bubbles back and landed a good hit on Surskit.

Surskit didn't seem in the least bit phased by the hit, causing Yamaguchi's stomach to drop. Before Yamaguchi could think of his next move he heard Viola call out "Sticky Web!" and to Yamaguchi's horror, Swirlix was covered from head to toe in sticky web.

"Swirlix! Fairy Wind, one more time!" Yamaguchi desperately tried but this time the web stuck tight making it almost impossible for Swirlix to move. Yamaguchi felt his stomach sink as his chest became heavy.

"Surskit, quick attack," Viola commanded and before Yamaguchi could so much as blink the attack landed sending Swirlix flying.

With a loud thud Swirlix landed not too far from where Yamaguchi stood. Yamaguchi didn't need to look to know Swirlix had indeed fainted. As the Referee called out "Swirlix is unable to battle," Yamaguchi called her back to her ball.

"You can do it, Yamaguchi!"

"Don't give up, Yama!"

Yamaguchi heard both Yachi and Hinata cheer for him from the stands but his ever growing panic almost drowned out their encouraging calls. He could feel panic coming back but did his best to push it aside. That was just one Pokemon and his weakest. The battle wasn't over yet.

Doing his best not to break down he pulled Popplio's ball from his belt. Popplio was his most reliable Pokemon on his team. He believed in her.

"Popplio, go!" Yamaguchi called as Popplio came forward from the ball. She barked with joy as she did a few flips.

"Ah I see we have as performer on our hands," Viola joked, enjoying the show.

"P-Popplio, focus," Yamaguchi scolded, thought his tone was far too gentle. Popplio gave a sheepish bark before facing Surskit.

"Yes, I like the look in her eyes," Viola complimented. "Surskit, use Sticky Web!"

As quick as light Surskit shot sticky web towards Popplio. This time Yamaguchi was more ready.

"Water gun, Popplio!" Yamaguchi shouted just in time for Popplio to used water gun to deflect the web. He heard both Yachi and Hinata give excited woops.

"Quick attack, Surskit!" Vioa called fast than Yamaguchi could think.

"Water gun!" Yamaguchi shouted the first thing that came to mind.

Yamaguchi watched in horror as Surskit dodged the water gun and landed a direct hit. Popplio gave a small cry as she was knocked back.

"One more time, Surskit, quick attack!" Viola whooped from her side of the field.

"Popplio!" Yamaguchi shouted in horror as Surskit landed another hit. This always happened. The battle always got away from him and he would lose focus on what was going on. Panic began to blind Yamaguchi.

"Finish her off, Surskit, ice beam!" Viola cried.

Yamaguchi watch in horror as a beam of light struck his struggling popplio. "Popplio, no!" Yamaguchi cried in in horror as ice swallowed up Popplio.

Yamaguchi's tried not to cry as the referee shouted "Popplio us unable to battle."

Yamaguchi's whole body went numb as he looked on at his frozen Popplio. Viola may not have realized it but she had already beaten him. Popplio was his only real hope. Drowning in his own panic, he didn't make a move to call Popplio back.

"Don't give up, Yama!" Hinata called from the bleachers.

"Are you going to call her back?" Viola politely asked.

The two voices seemed to shake Yamaguchi enough for him to call Popplio back into her ball. "Sorry, Popplio," he heard himself unconsciously mumble before replacing Popplio and pulling his final ball from his belt.

It was his luxury ball. The very ball he had used to catch Jangmo-o all those years ago. He only every called her out to feed her and she almost always demanded to go back into the ball immediately after eating. The mere idea of calling her out to battle sent Yamaguchi into another type of panic. One you often felt when facing someone you know hated you.

"Wow, it's his luxury ball!" Hinata's voice echoed through the gym.

Yamaguchi looked from the ball up to Viola who looked at him expectantly. He then looked to the bleachers to find Hinata hanging over the rail in excitement while Yachi begged for him to sit back down. Beside her sat an equally interested Kageyama who looked as if he was about to explode from interest. A moment later he saw Tsukki, who was sitting several seats above the others. His amber eyes were fixed on Yamaguchi as if beckoning him to not give up. Yamaguchi gave a small nod as he swallowed his fear.

"Jangmo-o, come on out!" Yamaguchi called as he tossed the glittering luxury ball high into the air.

"Wow! Jangmo-o! So cool!" Hinata gasped, almost falling from the bleachers.

Jangmo-o lept from the ball none too interested in what was going on. Her red eyes fixed on Viola and Surskit for only a moment. She didn't seem bothered by them in the least. Jangmo-o then glanced back at Yamaguchi causing the trainer to unintentionally flinch. She gave a small snort of unacceptance upon seeing him.

"J-Jangmo-o…" Yamaguchi sputtered as he did his best not the feel intimidated by the dragon. Jangmo-o gave an unsatisfied snort as her trainer called her name.

"Surskit, quick attack!" Viola commanded.

Without being prompted Jangmo-o dodged the attack.

"Good job, Jangmo-o," Yamaguchi praised meekly. "Retaliate with Dragon Tail," he commanded with little confidence. He felt his heart sink as Jangmo-o snubbed him. Insead she walked off the field towards a nearby shrub.

"What's going on?" Hinata's voice echoed through the room. A sharp 'shhhh' from Yachi quieted him up.

Viola watched on in obvious understanding. This wasn't the first time she had faced a trainer with a Pokemon that refused to listen. She always felt bad for the poor kids but not all Pokemon were compliant.

"Jangmo-o, please" Yamaguchi desperately whimpered, his pride being smashed into the ground and buried six feet under.

Jangmo-o replied to the plea with a large lazy yawn, not even bothering to look Yamaguchi's way. The room fell into an awkward silence. A silence that left Yamaguchi feeling sick.

"Jangmo-o is unable to battle," the referee called after the sickening silence passed.

If anyone was calling out to Yamaguchi, he could not hear them for his world numbed as his eyes stayed fixed on Jangmo-o. He did not know what else he should have expected from the dragon. This is how it always went with her since the day he caught her. She never listened to a word he said. She always looked on to him in pure hatred.

With the world numb to him, Yamaguchi did not take notice of Viola when she shook his hand for a job well done. Words of support spoken to him from both Yachi and Hinata went unheard. The buildings they passed on their way to the Pokemon Center went unseen. Nurse Joy's words of worry passed by Yamaguchi as he numbly nodded to everything said to him. He didn't even take notice of the concerned glances from his best friend. With each step he took his heart sunk lower and lower as the feeling of breaking down threatened to overtake him.

With his Pokemon checked in with Nurse Joy and the realization of his utter embarrassing loss now settling in deep, Yamaguchi did not follow the other's to the room they had stayed in last night. Tsukishima and the others turned in concern once realizing Yamaguchi was not following after them. With his eyes down cast, Yamaguchi did not take notice of their concerned sares.

"Is everything okay, Yamaguchi?" Yachi hesitantly asked.

"I…. I'll catch up with you guys later," Yamaguchi replied, his tone broken and body shaking with the need to cry. Without a second thought, he turned on his heels and ran from the Pokemon Center. As he slipped through the automatic doors he could hear Hinata's concerned voice calling after him.

Yamaguchi dare not look back as he ran through the town. It was late afternoon now, almost evening and the streets held very few people. His eyes blinded by tears, Yamaguchi took very little notice of anyone he passed. He did not know where he was going nor did he have a destination, he just longed to be alone. Almost on instinct his body led him to the outskirts of the town.

His cheeks now drenched in tears of defeat, Yamaguchi plopped down on a crate box that stood beside a small cottage. In normal cases, he would never take refuge on a stranger's property but in his sorry state he was not fully aware of where he was.

With his face buried in his hands, Yamaguchi released loud sorrowful sobs. Despite telling himself over and over that he could always try again, Yamaguchi felt like the biggest loser. He felt utterly embarrassed by his defeat. Not even Hinata had struggled as he did. He couldn't even beat Viola's first pokemon. He had only landed one hit the whole battle. The mere thought of the pitiful battle set another wave of shaking sobs to run through his body. Jangmo-o had every right to hate him as she did. Yamaguchi was indeed the worst trainer any Pokemon could ask for.

As all these self deprecating thoughts flooded Yamaguchi's mind as his loud sobs carried far. Time passed at a rate that made it hard for Yamaguchi to know how long he had been crying. Any time he felt his tears begin to subside he'd think about how he let Tsukki down or how he never should have left Alola and would start back up again.

Yamaguchi knew that it was just one gym battle. He knew he was being far too dramatic with all the waterworks over one lost battle. He knew how silly this all was in the grand scheme of things but this journey in Kalos was meant to be different from his childhood in Alola.

Another rack of sobs shook through his body as he imagined how disappointed Tsukki and his mother must be in him for being such a pushover coward. With almost all of his tears cried out a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Bringing his knees up he buried his face into them as he closed his eyes. Silent tears trailed down his cheeks as he did his best to calm down.

As moments passed he felt a calmness wash over him. It was a warmth that washed away his bad feelings. He released a small sigh as a small dot of hope began to appear out of nowhere. Feeling quite a bit better, Yamaguchi looked up only realize something had been holding his hand.

Standing in front of him stood a very cute, very friendly Sylveon. It's ribbon like feelers were all stroking him soothingly in some way with one having wound itself around his wrist. Yamaguchi looked on in confusion as the fairy type Pokemon purred happily.

Oh my, oh my! What was quite the defeat! Our poor baby Yama really didn't deserve this but I kind of had to do it. But alas! What is this! A Sylveon! What is going on? I wonder…

Well, there you go. I got chapter 9 out before my trip. As I have mentioned, just now and before, I will be on a trip so my next two weekend uploads maybe won't happen. You may not see any activity from me until the second week of October. We will have to see. I predict that I am going to be busy but I may find some down time to throw up chapter 10. But at least I didn't leave you guys hanging in terms of the gym battle. I hope you all enjoyed the very first gym and I can't wait for the plot to thicken even more :)

As always I love to heard from you guys so please leave a reviere. I am curious, did you all think Yama was going to win this gym battle? Was it obvious that he was going to lose? I wasn't necessarily trying to make it a secret or anything. Since I know what is going to happen in this story I sometimes worry I am not getting things across as well as I could. Let me know what you think of things and your predictions.

Also in the last chapter I tried to imply that Jangmo-o was not at full health and was injured but I maybe didn't get my point across clearly. I will do my best in the next chapters to make my intentions more clear. Do feel free to ask if something seems too vague. I mean it seems obvious to me but I wrote it so of course it seems obvious to me. I know what I am thinking ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯.

Well, I hope you all have a great rest of your week and I will see you all next chapter!


	10. The Cottage

Hey all! I am back from being away. I decided to put a chapter up since I wasn't around last week and I have the time now. I hope you enjoy chapter 10. This was a fun one to write.

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

Chapter 10! Here we gooooo!

The Cottage

As tears trickled down Yamaguchi's freckled cheeks his eye lingered on the purring Sylveon. All his sorrows seemed to subside as Sylveon soothed him gently with her ribbon like feelers. Confusion only mildly set in as his tears all together stopped. Sylveon was extremely rare to find in the wild. Who did this Pokemon belong to?

"Sylveon, where did you go?" came a voice from around the cottage Yamaguchi sat beside.

It was in that very moment that Yamaguchi realized he was sitting on a crate beside a very small and quaint cottage. Panic set in as he realized he had trespassed on someone's property. Before he could take any action on his panic the owner of the mystery voice came into view.

A man looking to be much older than Yamaguchi with short black hair and a kind smile came from around the corner. He wore stylish red thick framed glasses upon his nose and a kind smile upon his lips. He had a striped purple and white shirt with brown slacks and over his waist was a green breeders apron. At the man's heels was a Glaceon and Espeon both of whom looked on at Yamaguchi in curiosity. Once again, Yamaguchi found himself quite speechless as the man and his Pokemon approached.

"Looks like Sylveon found you first," the mad jokingly said with a kind smile.

Yamaguchi looked to him with his mouth agape. He had meant to ask what he meant but the question got lost in his throat.

Seeing Yamaguchi's blatant confusion the man gave a small chuckle. "We heard you crying from inside," the man clarified kindly. "My name is Shimada Makoto, by the way."

At this Yamaguchi felt his face go beet red. Had this man, Shimada, really heard his loud blubbering? "S-s-sorry!" Yamaguchi barely got out. Embarrassment wracked his body as he felt too shaken to look Shimada in the eye.

"No worries...umm?" Shimada waved off as he prompted Yamaguchi to introduce himself.

"Y-Yamaguchi," Yamaguchi almost shouted, still far too embarrassed to have any sort of control over his voice. "Yamaguchi Tadashi!"

"Well, then, Yamaguchi, care to come in for some tea and snacks?" Shimada kindly offered. "I promise the chairs inside are much more comfortable than the gardening crates, and you can wash up a bit if you'd like."

"O-Okay," Yamaguchi found himself saying without really meaning to. He rarely every accepted such invitations from strangers but something about this Shimada set him at ease, or perhaps it was Sylveon's soothing aura?

Shimada kindly smiled as he gave an approving nod. He then led Yamaguchi and the three eeveelutions into the small cottage. Once inside the small house Yamaguchi found a quaint kitchen with a dainty table and chairs. The kitchen lead into the hall that Yamaguchi assumed held the bedroom and bathroom of the house.

"Feel free to take a seat," Shimada said as he motion to the ornate kitchen table and it's equally decorative seats.

With a silent nod, Yamaguchi slipped into one of the four cushioned seats. Shimada had been right, these seats really were more comfortable than the crate outside. The Sylveon from before made himself comfortable in Yamaguchi's lap, curling up just right to fit snugly. Unconsciously Yamaguchi stroked at the fairy type's large ears.

"You'll have to excuse him. He doesn't understand personal boundaries," Shimada chuckled as he poured hot water into a teapot.

"I don't mind," Yamaguchi waved off a bit too quickly.

"He's always attracted to those in distress," Shimada carried on with a sigh. "Seems to always want to help those who are feeling burdened. I suppose it's in his nature."

"It's quite nice, really," Yamaguchi insisted as his nerves bagan to really ease off. "It's doing wonders for me right now," he admitted shyly.

"So, was it a bad break up?" Shimada asked as he placed a tea cup in front of Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go red once more at the mere idea. "N-no!" he squeaked.

"I expected as much," Shimada chuckled as he poured tea for Yamaguchi and himself. "Could it have been a battle gone wrong then?" He asked, this time his tone less joking.

Yamaguchi deflated at the question. He gave a small nod as his eye stayed fixed on the rippling tea in his cup. He heard Shimada give a knowing hum as he sat down.

"Gym battle?" Shimada quietly asked.

Yamaguchi gave one nod of confirmation, not daring to look away from his tea.

I calm yet somber silence hung heavy in the small kitchen. Only the ticking of the kitchen clock filled the air.

"A loss is never an easy thing to swallow," Shimada admitted, his tone somber. "But the most important part is-"

"Picking yourself back up and carrying on," Yamaguchi finished as he looked up from his tea. He held an expression that read he had heard this exact same thing many times. This won him a small chuckle from Shimada.

"Yeah, I heard that a lot when I was your age, too," Shimada admitted with an almost dreamy look to his eyes. "I always hated it."

Another beat of silence filled the kitchen as Yamaguchi's expression changed to mild interest. Now that he thought of it, he had no clue who this Shimada man was. For all he knows this guy could be really dangerous. His expression must have been obvious for Shimada answered in good nature.

"Hearing you crying out there and seeing you behind this cottage reminded me a lot of myself when I was your age," Shimada gave another wistful sigh as he spoke.

"R-Really?" Yamaguchi questioned in disbelief. He looked on at Shimada in pure curiosity. A man who seems to have his act together could not possibly be as pathetic as himself.

"Yeah, when I went up against my first gym battle I lost horribly," Shimada carried on, laughing at the far of memory he spoke of. "My three Pokemon were knocked out by one of the gym leader's Pokemon. It was a disaster."

Yamaguchi questioned weather this was more than just a coincidence. Could Shimada really have experienced the same thing as himself or was he lying to make Yamaguchi feel better? "The same happened to me…" Yamaguchi found himself whisper.

"You don't say…" Shimada looked to him in his own state of disbelief. "Small world I guess, thought it was not this gym I lost to."

Yamaguchi fidgeted uncomfortably as he ached to asked Shimada a question. Shimada waited patiently, allowing the younger shy trainer to work up the will.

"W-What did…" Yamaguchi started hesitantly as he seemed to almost second guess himself. "What did you do?" he finally got out, less fidgety now that the question had been asked.

"Cried," Shimada admitted with no shame. "I also really thought about what I wanted," he carried on almost wistfully. "I hated battling you see, but I also felt like there was something out there for me. Like I shouldn't give up."

Yamaguchi could not relate more with what Shimada had said. He felt his heart pound as he leaned forward in interest. It felt almost comforting to have met someone who had experienced a similar disposition as his own. "Did… Did you ever beat the gym?" He found himself asking.

"Nope," Shimada replied once more with little to no shame.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Yamaguchi corrected quickly, fearing he had possibly struck a sore nerve. Little did he know it was quite the opposite.

"I quite the league so I had no need to battle the gym again," Shimada almost sounded proud as he elaborated.

This peaked Yamaguchi's curiosity once more. Most people were not proud to be quitters. His confusion cause Shimada to laugh in good nature.

"I hated gym battles, so why bother doing them?" Shimada carried on with a shrug. "After taking time to think about it, I realized there was a lot more out there than just the league for a trainer to get involved in. So, I quite the league."

"Wow," Yamaguchi hummed in admiration. "What did you end up doing?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"Oh, I thought it was obvious," Shimada laughed as he motioned to a small shelf holding several shining trophies. Under the trophies were a few glittering shiny ornate keys. "I took up Pokemon Showcase," he said with a large smile.

"Pokemon Showcase?" Yamaguchi echoed as he racked his brain as to where he had heard of it before.

"Yep," Shimada said with a proud nod as he looked to all of his trophies and keys. "It's where both Pokemon and trainer work in unison to put on a spectacular show."

"Is there… battling ever?" Yamaguchi reluctantly asked.

"Nope, not at all," Shimada hummed. "But it really taught me how to become synced with my Pokemon, and before long I think I could have taken on that gym again and won if I wanted to," he spoke with a small shrug at the end. "I found it to be the best option for a trainer like me, who hated battling."

"I've never thought of trying something other than the league," Yamaguchi admitted aloud. Shimada's way of speaking about Pokemon Showcases ignited a small flame in Yamaguchi. "Do you still perform now?"

"Not as of recent," Shimada admitted. "I'm mostly retired now and have spent my time delving into breeding to be honest but I do get involved with competitions on occasion."

"You do breeding, too?" Yamaguchi asked in awe. He felt impressed at the man's accomplishments.

"It's kind of a family business to be honest," Shimada chuckled, enjoying Yamaguchi's enthuseasum. "It's a good thing I'm interested in it. I do plan to take the business over from my parents some day."

"What have you bred?" Yamaguchi asked as he unconsciously stroked the head of the now sleeping Sylveon.

"Well, these three guys are an example of what I've bred," Shimada replied as he looked to his Espeon who was sitting in the window sill looking up at the setting sun.

"You bred these three?" Yamaguchi gasped. He had heard Eevee breeding was no easy task.

"It's one of my family's specialties," Shimada nodded. "We've also dappled in fairy types, mostly my mom, and on occasion, starter pokemon for the professor," he rambled on in a comfortable hum. "Now that's enough about me, what about you, Yamaguchi?" Shimada chuckled before taking a sip of his tea.

"M-Me?" Yamaguchi squeaked in shock. "I've never bred in my life!"

"No, I don't mean that," Shimada laughed arily. "What's going to be your next move?"

"Oh," Yamaguchi half deflated. He looked to the side in mild avoidance of the question but Shimada did not relent. "I…. I suppose try again?"

"Hmmm…" Shimada simply hummed in reply. "I'm not telling you to join a Showcase or anything, but keeping an open mind can really lead you to a happiness you might have never known existed."

The idea of trying something outside of the league was more than tempting for Yamaguchi. Not having to stress over these gym battles sounded like heaven. But something within Yamaguchi, most definitely his stubborn pride, made it hard for him to give up on the league.

"Yeah…" Yamaguchi replied in far off thought. The idea of going back to Viola's gym was not the least bit tempting.

"But do think about it. There is more to Pokemon than just battles. If you do decide to try something else feel free to reach out to me," Shimada kindly offered, his eyes fixed on Yamaguchi.

"Thank you," Yamaguchi replied with a bit of hesitation. "But why have you been so kind to me?" he asked as he looked to Shimada in a mix of grateful surprise.

"I guess I just see a kindred spirit in you," Shimada softly admitted.

Yamaguchi could not help but smile. It wasn't often strangers were so kind to him. He felt himself very lucky to have stumbled upon Shimada like this.

The two spent the rest of their time sipping on tea and munching on cookies. Shimada told Yamaguchi of his time as a Showcase Performer while Yamaguchi shared tidbits about Poni Island and his life in Alola. The atmosphere was calm and pleasant and before long Yamaguchi felt as if he had known Shimada for all his life. It was almost as if the man understood his plight to the core.

Time passed quickly as the two chatted and when Yamaguchi looked out the window he realized that the sun was close to setting. His conversation with Shimada had been so engaging he hadn't realized how much time had passed. Reluctantly he told the man he had to go. He didn't want to worry Tsukki and the others.

"Reach out to me if you ever have anything you want to talk about," Shimada insisted as he handed off his contact to Yamaguchi.

"Is that really okay?" Yamaguchi asked as he took the paper with the contact information. "I wouldn't want to be a bother."

"None at all," Shimada gently insisted. "It's my pleasure to help out blooming trainers."

Yamaguchi could not help but feel his cheeks go pink at the man's kindness. "Th-thank you," he shyly replied.

"Take care of your self, Yamaguchi. And don't rush things," Simada said offering up his final bit of advice. "There are many options out there, just remember that."

"R-Right," Yamaguchi replied with a shy smile. "Thank you again, for your kindness."

"Not a problem at all," Shimada insisted once more.

With that Yamaguchi waved his goodbye and headed away from the small cottage. The sun was now far over the horizon and stars were beginning to dot the sky. He had spent the whole afternoon with Shimada, though it felt as if no time had passed at all. Yamaguchi hoped Tsukki wasn't worried over him. The mere idea of Tsukki being worried over anyone seemed almost unfathomable.

By the time Yamaguchi made it to the Pokemon Center the sun was fully set and the sky was decorated with a million stars and a bright half moon. The lobby to the Pokemon Center was quiet with only a few people milling about waiting to see Nurse Joy. Yamaguchi made for the room he, Tsukki, Hinata and Kageyama had been staying in the night before. As he walked he contemplated what he would say when he returned. He knew Tsukki probably would not ask too many questions but something told him Hinata and Yachi would be a different story. Fortunately for Yamaguchi, he did not have to wait long to forget about these trivial worries for when he opened the door to the room he was met by only Tsukki.

Tsukishima sat upon the top bunk as he flipped through a informational book on dragon types. Other than him, the room was absent of any other people. Yamaguchi stepped into the room closing the door quietly before realizing all of Kageyama and Hinata's belongings were gone. His confusion must have been noticeable for he next took notice of Tsukki looking directly at him from over his book.

"They left a while ago," Tsukishima simply explained. "Said they had to leave due to a tight schedule or something stupid like that," he carried on in a low grumble.

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi almost whispered as he felt an odd sense of mild disappointment. It was silly of him to think they would have hung around. They really are still strangers to both Tsukki and himself.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Tsukishima asked as he placed his book aside.

"No, not yet," Yamaguchi replied, looking up to find Tsukki studying him from his perch. Tsukishima's sharp amber eyes seemed to be studying Yamaguchi carefully. It was almost as if he were making sure Yamaguchi was not an imposter. Yamaguchi shifted uncomfortably under the gaze, missing the hint of worry in Tsukishima's eyes.

"Me too," Tsukishima answered only after he seemed satisfied with Yamaguchi's condition. "I haven't had dinner yet, too," he clarified.

"Let me put my stuff down and we can grab a bite somewhere," Yamaguchi suggested, doing his best to show all was well with a small smile.

Tsukishima gave a small nod in confirmation but did not speak. This was something Yamaguchi was more than used to. It only took him a minute or so to sort out his things. As he and Tsukki walked to a nearby diner he gave his best friend vague details of where he had been this whole time.

It was late morning by the time Yamaguchi and Tsukishima found themselves leaving the Pokemon Center. Yamaguchi was happy to find that both Popplio and Swirlix were back to full health and equally happy to see him. He apologized to the two several times, both Pokemon showering him with love and care the whole way. They had spent a long while carrying on in such a manner before Tsukki made Yamaguchi call them back into their balls so they could be on their way.

Yamaguchi had decided the night before that they should carry on to the next town. Just because he was being indecisive did not mean Tsukki should suffer as well. They could always come back for Yamaguchi's gym battle. Besides, Yamaguchi had found himself pondering his career options often since his chat with Shimada the night before.

As they left the small town, Yamaguchi caught sight of the small cottage where Shimada resided. His eyes lingered on it long enough for Tsukki to notice. Part of Yamaguchi wanted to thank the man but another part of him felt he had burdened Shimada enough. As he and Tsukki rounded the corner he released a heavy sigh. Leaving defeated was never easy.

It was Tsukishima who noticed it first. He stopped in his tracks turning, his expression nothing but confusion and mildly annoyed. "Is someone calling your name?" he asked.

Jarred from his thoughts Yamaguchi looked up only to hear his name was indeed being called.

"Yamaguchi, wait!" Came the familiar voice of Shimada.

"Shimada?" Yamaguchi questioned as he turned to see the man jogging after him with a package in his hands.

"Thank goodness I caught up to you before you left," Shimada huffed and puffed as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Shimada, is something wrong?" Yamaguchi asked in worry as he placed a hand upon Shimada's shoulder.

Shimada made a motion to show he was fine before huffing some more.

"Who is this?" Tsukishima asked flatly.

"The name is Shimada Makoto," Shimada answered before Yamaguchi could.

Tsukishima looked from Shimada to Yamaguchi with a very sceptical expression. Ot was almost as if he thought Shimada to be dangerous.

"He's the man who helped me out last night," Yamaguchi clarified. "The one I told you about over dinner."

Tsukishima than gave a small hummm of confirmation only too look at Shimada in slight disapproval. Tsukishima was rarely ever receptive of new people regardless of the case. Yamaguchi shook the rude behaviour with an eye roll.

"I take it you must be Tsukishima?" Shimada said with a friendly smile.

"That would be correct," Tsukishima replied, his tone flat and slightly less rude.

"It's nice to meet you. Yamaguchi told me all about you," Shimada carried on light hearted.

"Did he now?" Tsukishima hummed as he looked to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi looked back with a sheepish grin. Talking Tsukki's praise was a bad habit of his. "He barely mentioned you," Tsukishima replied after the long moment.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi snapped as he looked to his friend sternly. He hadn't a clue what had gotten into Tsukki. He had been acting odd since hearing about his ventures last night.

"I see. So that's how it is," Shimada chuckled, not offended in the least.

"You'll have to excuse him," Yamaguchi said reluctantly.

"He's just a caring friend," Shimada shrugged as he eyed Tsukishima knowingly.

"Was there a reason why you stopped us?" Tsukishima sharply asked, apparently not taking the comment too kindly.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot," Shimada gasped, unable to hide the grin on his face. He than placed the large box he had been carrying on the ground. "I have something I wanted to give you, Yamaguchi."

"Something for me?" Yamaguchi squeaked in surprise.

"Yeah, I was thinking about it all last night and I think you are the best person for it," Shimada carried on as he motioned to the box he was holding. "Go a head a take it out."

"R-really?" Yamaguchi reluctantly asked, not being used to such kindness by people he barely knew.

"Just open it already," Tsukishima grumbled.

Yamaguchi ignored the comment as he approached the box. The lid was only held shut by a piece to tape. Peeling back the tape and opening the flaps he looked in to find an odd large jar like contraptions. He released a curious humm as he lifted the contraption out of the box. Examining it he gave a small gasp.

"Is this a…?" Yamaguchi could not finish his questioned for inside the large jar was a Pokemon egg. He could not find the words to describe his shock upon receiving a Pokemon egg. Even Tsukki seemed shocked by the gift.

"Yup, it's a Pokemon egg," Shimada smiled proudly. "One I've raised so far myself and I'd like you to be the one to hatch it!"

"Me!?" Yamaguchi squeaked. "I- I've never- I couldn't- I don't know how," he sputtered as he failed to suppress the fluttery feeling of happiness that began to well in his stomach.

"I think you're the best person for the job to be honest," Shimada cut in, not leaving any room for rejection. "I'll also give you a bottle for feeding and other items you will need once it hatches."

"But… Why?" Yamaguchi asked, unable to understand why he'd receive such a precious gift from a stranger. Even Tsukki gave a hum in agreeance.

"I have my reasons," Shimada shrugged, his tone holding a hint of mystery. "Just take good care of this egg and promise me that while you care for it you really think about what it is you want to do next."

"I… I will," Yamaguchi replied before he could really think through what Shimada had just said.

"I believe in you, Yamaguchi," Shimada hummed, his tone full of an unexpected affection.

With much of his confidence reinvigorated Yamaguchi gave a confident nod.

So who saw it coming. Eventually Shimada had to come into the story at some point. I wonder what is going to hatch from the egg? What is Yamaguchi going to do about his future! All this and more will be revealed if you stay tuned!

From now on I should be able to post regularly again. Expect to see a chapter a week as long as things don't go downhill on my end.

I hope you are all enjoying this story so far. I know not a lot has happened despite it being 10 chapter's already. I hope to get things to pick up a bit from here on out. Do let me know if you ever feel like the story is going way too slow. Sometimes it's hard for me to tell.

That being said, thank you all for the kudos, follows, reviews and comments. I love to hear from my readers. It really lets me know how I am doing and such as a fic writer. It is also just a good way of encouraging me to get back on and work on the next chapter.

Well, that is all for now. See you all next chapter.


	11. Sparks and Explosion

Hey all! Here is chapter 11 just in time for the weekend like I promised. I wonder how Yamaguchi is doing after all that had happened. Let's read and find out!

I'd like to think my beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar and for also helping me go through the thinking process while writing this little fic.

SO! I need some help. My current beta reader is very busy and is unable to be my beta reader anymore. If you are interested in being my new beta please let me know. I will leave some information at the ending notes.

Let's read chapter 11!

Sparks and Explosion

The two young trainers once again woke up to a clear cool sunny spring day. The air was fresh with the scent of sweet flowers and freshly grown leaves from the surrounding trees and bushes. The world was filled with the sound of birds twittering in the trees and the hums of Flabébé and Floette who floated high above their heads with the morning breeze. This was the sort of day that filled Yamaguchi's every being with hope and determination.

Breathing in deeply through his nose, Yamaguchi enjoyed the scent of spring immensely as he made his way to a nearby stream. Popplio was already splashing about in the crystal clear water. She barked with joy as she caught sight of her master approaching. Yamaguchi admired the array of multicolored stones that could be seen through the glass-like water before dipping his canteen into its cool depths.

"Much colder than I expected," Yamaguchi gasped as a bit of water splashed upon his hand. "Don't know how you are able to swim in it like that," he carried on as Popplio filled the air with bubbles from where she floated.

Yamaguchi smiled as he admired his partner. He sometimes envied how carefree Popplio was. Perhaps this whole battling thing wouldn't be such a problem if he could just learn to let loose. His smile faltered for only a moment as this thought passed his mind. For the past two days he and Tsukki had been traveling he had been doing his best not to think about the lost gym battle. It still hung heavy on his heart and blinded him if he allowed the thoughts to stay too long.

Popplio gave a loud bark before playfully spraying a spritz of water upon his face. Yamaguchi sputtered as his face became drenched, his dark thoughts washing away with each drop. His sputter turned into a laugh as he begged Popplio to stop. With another happy bark, Popplio did as she was told before jumping onto shore beside her master.

"Look at me! I'm all wet!" Yamaguchi sighed, though he could not hide his smile. His clothes had avoided the water attack, only really receiving a few droplets here and there that fell from his face. He did his best to send a disapproving look to Popplio but was met with a happy bark. He could not help but laugh as he ruffled Popplio's head with much affection. "Oh, what would I do without you?" he hummed.

With his heart full of joy once more and all the canteens filled with fresh spring water, he and Popplio made there way back to the camp where Tsukki and the other's awaited them.

Once they were back at camp Yamaguchi and Popplio found Tsukki resting against a tree with his headphones on. His eyes were closed but Yamaguchi could tell he was awake. Beside Tsukki sat a snoozing Snivy and Bagon. Yamaguchi gave a hum of affection upon seeing the three so calm. As always, Swirlix had made herself comfortable upon their half-packed backpacks. It was beyond Yamaguchi how Swirlix could sleep in such an uncomfortable bed but Tsukki insisted that he had seen Yamaguchi do the exact same thing on many occasions. Salazzle sat wrapped around the egg Yamaguchi had received from Shimada. Yamaguchi had offered her an extra treat at lunch if she helped him to keep the egg warm as he filled the canteens.

The sight of the camp warmed Yamaguchi's heart. Seeing both trainers and Pokemon at such peace always put him at ease. He wished everyday could be as relaxing as this one. With a small sigh he made his way over to Salazzle. As he approached Salazzle awoke from her nap with a smile upon her face.

"You are excused from you duties for now," Yamaguchi said in a playfully serious tone.

Salazzle released a low hiss before getting on her hind legs and tickling playfully at Yamaguchi's neck as if to ask where the payment was.

"Hey, you'll get your extra treat at lunch. I promise," Yamaguchi laughed as he pushed the large bipedal lizard back.

Salazzle didn't relent as she leaned more weight on him and tickled at his ear with her tongue.

"Fine, let me check on the egg and than I will get you your reward," Yamaguchi laughed, as Salazzle abused his ticklish spot.

With a satisfied hiss, Salazzle backed off but made sure to stay close to Yamaguchi, almost mimicking his every move.

Still giggling at Salazzles antics, Yamaguchi settling himself on the ground next to the egg. Very carefully he plucked the egg from the incubator and placed it in a very soft and plush towel. All the while Salazzle wrapped herself around Yamaguchi from the back, resting her head upon on leg with her tail winding around his back to the other leg. Her keen eyes watched his every move but she kept as quiet as a Dedenne.

Using the plush towel, Yamaguchi rubbed at the egg gently and softly. The books Shimada had lent to him all insisted on polishing the egg at least twice a day. Many books also mentioned the importance of talking softly with the egg. Yamaguchi found both actions to be quite relaxing and a wonderful way to both start and end the day.

"What do you suppose is in this egg?" Yamaguchi hummed as he tenderly rubbed the top of the egg with his fingers. This was a question he found himself asking almost every day since receiving the egg.

Salazzle replied with a low calming hiss as the tip of her tongue licked at Yamaguchi's forearm.

"Do you think it will hatch soon? Shimada never told me how far along it was," Yamaguchi wistfully carried on as he admired the smooth surface of the egg.

Once again Salazzle replied with a low hiss and a flick of her tongue.

"I wonder what you'll be like once you hatch," Yamaguchi sweetly hummed to the egg. He held it close pressing his warm cheek against its shell. The egg was surprisingly warm. "Come out soon so we can meet you," he whispered against its shell. He then held the egg close to his chest wrapping his arms arounds it. Several of the breeder books claimed that the sound of a beating heart was essential to the development of the creature within the egg.

"I swear, whatever is in that egg is going to come out spoiled rotten with how much attention you give it," Tsukishima mumbled from where he sat. Yamaguchi could hear a teasing edge to his voice that most people would have missed.

"I just want he or she to develop the best they can," Yamaguchi replied as he did his best to sneer. Sneering was hard to do through a smile so all Yamaguchi ended up doing was scrunching up his nose.

Tsukishima gave a small thrug as he failed to hide the faint smile that tugged at the edge of his lips. "And you," he grumbled, addressing Salazzle. "Who gave you permission to be mommy number two?"

"I did," Yamaguchi replied, holding his nose high and trying not to laugh. He leaned into Salazzle just to prove his point. Salazzle gave a playful flick of her tongue as if to agree with Yamaguchi.

"You're becoming too soft, Salazzle," Tsukishima mumbled in a not so believable disapproving tone.

"Don't you listen to that old meanie. You are still my strong pretty lady," Yamaguchi spoke in a baby voice as he and Salazzle rubbed cheeks. Salazzle hissed in agreement.

Tsukishima released a small scoff as he watched Yamaguchi snuggle with his poison fire lizard.

Yamaguchi could not help but laugh at his reaction. His light hearted giggles filled the air causing Popplio to join in the fun blowing a multitude of bubbles. Yamaguchi watched the bubbles ride a warm breeze that took them floating up towards the bright blue sky as his giggled subsided. Holding the egg close to his beating heart he allowed the joy he felt in this moment to sink in.

"So, do we plan to head out today or stay one more night here?" Yamaguchi asked once the moment passed. Yamaguchi really didn't mind if they stayed another night. He quite liked their camping spot. The ground was soft and the nearby stream so fresh and clear. It really was perfect to help one clear their mind.

"Just say you want to stay another night if that's what you want," Tsukishima called him out, his tone quite neutral and none too accusing.

"Am I that obvious?" Yamaguchi sheepishly asked.

"You've not smiled this much the past few days," Tsukishima flatly replied.

"Are you okay with it then?" Yamaguchi smiled, batting his eyes with much hope.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" Tsukishima almost scoffed, not falling victim to Yamaguchi's tactics. "I have some training I need to do before the next gym so another day here would be best for me, too, I suppose," he said in what was meant to be a bored drawl that Yamaguchi saw right through.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said with a bright smile. Whenever Tsukki was this kind it always set his heart a flutter. He didn't want to toot his own horn but he rarely ever saw Tsukki be as lenient with anyone other than himself and it was one of Yamaguchi's most secret favorite feelings.

"Not a big deal," Tsukishima replied with a light dusting of pink to his cheeks. This only made Yamaguchi smile wider and more bight.

The two enjoyed the quiet of the campsite for only a while longer before they both decided it was best if they carried on about their day. Tsukishima took off with his three Pokemon into the woods to train while Yamaguchi decided to gather wood and hunt for berries to make sure they had enough food to last them. With his egg back in it's case and securely fastened to his back, Yamaguchi, Popplio and Swirlix ventured into the woods.

The woods were much thicker than Yamaguchi had expected them to be. Several times his shirt caught on low hanging branches and eventually he had to carry Popplio in his arm for it had become far too difficult for her to walk. The group followed Swirlix as she allowed her keen nose to lead them to any nearby berry trees. Yamaguchi had found out that the cotton candy-like Pokemon was a master at finding the freshest of ingredients.

It didn't take the small group long to come across a small grove of pecha berries and oran berries. With Popplio balancing on his head to reach the higher up berries, the three got to work on picking as many berries as they could. The berries were so abundant that even after they filled their bag to the brim it hadn't looked like they had even made a dent. Satisfied with their bounty Yamaguchi switched modes to their next task at hand.

"Now we need to find some firewood. We need to make sure that it's nice a dry wood so that it burns nicely," Yamaguchi calmly instructed to his two pokemon.

With that the group wondered further into the woods in a random direction. Overtaken by his good mood, Yamaguchi became careless about where they were going and where they had been. The poor trainer probably wouldn't have even noticed if they started walking in circles. Fortunately for him this time he wasn't.

Searching for the berries had been quite easy but finding dry wood was a whole other task at hand. Struggling through the thick branches the three had only found a few branches that Yamaguchi deemed worthy as firewood. With Popplio balancing on his head, the large bag of berries hanging from one arm and his other arm trying desperately to carry the firewood, Yamaguchi realized they may have a bit of a dilemma. Despite his tall stature he was extremely clumsy. It was a wonder Popplio hadn't toppled off his head nor had he dropped a single berry from the bag. But with each step he took he came closer and closer to tripping over his own feet.

"Why don't we drop some of this of before looking for more wood," Yamaguchi stuttered as he felt some of the wood shift dangerously in his arms. The safety of his egg hung heavy in his mind as his balance faltered for only a moment. Popplio gave a bark of joyful agreement from atop his head almost shifting his balance in the other direction.

Doing his best not to topple over or drop anything he held, Yamaguchi made his way back in the direction of the camp. Or at least he made his way in the direction he suspected camp to be. Stumbling through the thick brush mild panic began to settle in Yamaguchi's stomach. Camp was in this direction, wasn't it? Had they wandered into the woods this far? What direction does moss grow on trees? Yamaguchi racked his brain as he did his bet to orient himself. Popplio and Swirlix didn't seem in the least bit worried of being lost.

"Swirlix!" Yamaguchi shouted as if he had discovered the meaning of life. In doing so he almost dropped the pile of sticks he carried. The sudden action seemed to startle the pink fluffball. "Swirlix! Use your nose to find camp! Can you pick up dinner?" Yamaguchi asked as he did his best to keep calm.

Understnading her masteres comand Swirlix gave a small nod before lifting her nose up into the air. She closed her eyes as she concentrated all her senses into her nose. She sniffed once, twice and on her third sniff she opened her eyes with fierce determination and face to the left of Yamaguchi.

"Is camp that way?" Yamaguchi asked in excitement. Swirlix gave a sturdy nod. "I knew I could count on you," Yamaguchi praised with a large smile.

With that Yamaguchi followed Swirlix's nose once more. The cotton candy Pokemon moved swiftly with much conviction as she led Yamaguchi through the thick brush. Doing his best not to drop anything and trying not to trip Yamaguchi followed after Swirlix. All the while Popplio barked with pleasure as she balanced precariously on Yamaguchi's head.

As Swirlix carried on Yamaguchi could make out a clearing just beyond the trees. A feeling of relief flooded him as they approached the end of the thick forest. He'd finally be able to put his load down and not have to worry about falling over and damaging the egg.

With a sigh of relief Yamaguchi pushed through the bushed and into the clearing. He stopped short dropping several of the sticks as he looked around to find that the clearing he stood in was not the same clearing that held their camp. The clearing was much smaller. It was shaded by the canopy of the nearby trees and the babbling stream was nowhere to he heard. To top it all off foreign camping items he had never seen before littered the small clearing.

Swirlix lazily floated to a half open bag that sat up against a small tent. Almost immediately she began to rummage through the bad. Yamaguchi watched for only a moment before panic set in. Dropping the bag of berries he staggered over to Swirlix.

"No! That's not our bag! Get out of there," Yamaguchi commanded in a panicked whisper. He pulled Swirlix from the bag only to find that she had scored herself a few Poke Blocks. A mixture of panic and guilt settled in Yamaguchi's stomach at seeing this. Part of him wanted to run and leave before the owner came back but his good nature insisted that he hang around and apologize. Fortunately for Yamaguchi he didn't have to think terribly hard about his options.

"Hey! Who are you!?" demanded a voice from behind Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt his back go ridged as he stiffly turned around. He sputtered "I-I'm s-sorry!" as he did so.

Upon turning around Yamaguchi was greeted by a very short trainer with brown spiked hair and a blond fringe. Though the trainer was quite small his gaze was fierce beyond all belief and left Yamaguchi feeling like the smaller of the two. Beside the trainer was a Scrafty who looked more than ready to take them on. Yamaguchi did his best not to panic. It would be bad for the egg.

"So you think you can just barge in to my campsite and loot my bag, do ya!" the smaller trainer sneered as he began to circle Yamaguchi. "That's a punishable crime, you know?!" Scrafty followed this up with a low growl to emphasise they meant business.

Yamaguchi shook from head to toe as he held Swirlix close. Swirlix didn't seem bothered by the intense moment and snoozed in his arms. Popplio still balancing atop Yamaguchi's head and released a few small excited bubbles. Thought of the egg's safety flashed through Yamaguchi's mind.

"W-w-we never meant to- Swirlix, she just acted on instinct- I c-c-can replace it," Yamaguchi sputtered. Confrontation was never really his thing. He wished now more than ever to have Tsukki here to help ward off the stranger.

The smaller trainer carried on studying Yamaguchi. His keen eyes scanned the shivering trainer as Yamaguchi did his best not to lose his cool completely. But before Yamaguchi knew it both the smaller trainer and his Scrafty were smiling broadly up at him.

"Haha! I was just pulling your leg," The smaller trainer laughed as he gave Yamaguchi's shoulder a sturdy pat.

Yamaguchi almost lost balance as he released a very surprised "Eh!?"

"Name's Nishinoya Yuu, but you can just call me Noya! And this here is my Scrafty!" Noya introduced with another hard pat to Yamaguchi's shoulder. "And you are?"

"Yamaguchi!" Yamaguchi replied in a half daze still unsure if he was safe or not. "Yamaguchi Tadashi."

"Nice to meet ya, Yamaguchi," Noya smiled as his Scrafty dance around the bubbles Popplio was now blowing into the air. "I see you and your Pokemon are quite active today."

"Y-Yeah, we were looking for firewood and I guess got turned around," Yamaguchi sheepishly laughed.

"Yeah, these woods are a little on the thick side. I almost got turned around twice," Noya admitted brightly. With each passing moment Yamaguchi felt more at ease but none the less awkward.

"Yeah well, we didn't meant to bother you and I really can replace your-" Yamaguchi started before being cut off.

"Ah no worries," Noya brushed off with a carefree wave. "There are more where those came from."

"Well, if you say so," Yamaguchi reluctantly replied, shifting his feet awkwardly. He felt bad for allowing Swirlix into the trainers pack but Noya didn't seem bothered by it and Yamaguchi was not the type to push.

"Hey, I know how you can pay me back!" Noya gasped in excitement, causing Yamaguchi to start.

"Oh…?" Yamaguchi found himself replying reluctantly. He did his best not to come across too rude.

"Yeah, I could use your opinion on something," Noya explained, his gaze more intense as he studied Yamaguchi.

"My opinion?" Yamaguchi asked in mild shock. His curiosity now began to take over.

"Yeah, you see, I've come up with a new routine for this upcoming Pokemon Showcase and I need to know if it looks as super awesome as it feels," Noya elaborated with much gusto. Scrafty joined in with an array of elaborate jazz hands in hope to emphasize their point.

"A Pokemon Showcase?" Yamaguchi gasped as his mind wandered to Shimada.

"You know of them?" Noya promoted in excitement.

"Sort of. I've never seen one so I'm not too sure about how valid my opinion would be…" Yamaguchi mumbled in reluctance.

"Nonsense!" Noya waved off. "A big part of the Showcase is audience appeal and all you'll need to do is tell me what you think!" Noya pressed on.

"Well, I guess I could give you my opinion if you think it will help," Yamaguchi shrugged.

"Great!" Noya cheered, jumping much higher than Yamaguchi had expected. "Follow me!"

On that note, Noya and his Scrafty disappeared into the thick woods leaving Yamaguchi in a slight daze alone in the small camp site. Yamaguchi looked from where Noya had just disappeared into the woods, to Swirlix who was now snoozing in his arms. He hesitated for another moment wondering if he really should follow after the shorter trainer.

"Are you coming or what?" Yamaguchi heard Noya shout from within the woods.

"C-coming!" Yamaguchi sputtered, picking up his bag of berries and stumbling into the thick woods after the other trainer. With each step his reluctants subsided.

Doing his best, Yamaguchi followed Noya through the woods. Several times he wanted to ask where they were going and how much longer it would take but found it hard to pipe in as Noya gushed over this and that. Several times it passed Yamaguchi's mind that Tsukki would arrive back to camp first and would worry over his whereabouts. Than Yamaguchi reminded himself that Tsukki rarely ever worried over anything. He'd most likely come looking for Yamaguchi before he bothered himself with worry.

It wasn't long before Noya lead Yamaguchi into another clearing that lead to the river. It was upon seeing the river that it occured to Yamaguchi that he could have followed the river back to his own campground. It then occurred to him that he could not recall weather their camp was up stream from here or down stream. Regardless, Noya was not going to give him any more time to ponder it.

"Are you ready to see the most spectacular routine ever?" Noya cheered as Scrafty jumped to the ready.

"I-I suppose…?" Yamaguchi mumbled as he placed his bag of berried down and sat on a patch of soft grass. Swirlix and Popplio both made themselves comfortable on either side of him. Popplio, being the most excited, released a small happy bark while Swirlix yawned widely. Yamaguchi all the while wondered why they had to come to this location to see the trick or whatever it was.

"This could be dangerous so you may want to scoot back a bit," Noya insisted as he puffed out his chest proudly.

"Oh…?" Yamaguchi reluctantly questioned, not unsure if he should have followed the smaller trainer in the first place. Thoughts of his eggs safety swirled in the back of his mind. Scooting back best he could, he could not find it in himself to leave quite yet.

"Jolteon, come on out!" Noya cheered as he summoned the electric Pokemon from its ball.

With a triumphant cry Jolteon manifested between Noya and where Yamaguchi sat. In one motion it turned to face it's trainer. It shook with excitement as it faced his master, ready to do whatever he asked of it.

"We have an audience, Jolteon, so let's make this performance count," Noya cheered in corus with his Scrafty.

Jolteon did not bother to turn and face Yamaguchi but instead got into place beside Noya. Noya than pulled from his pocket a small speaker and turned it on and placed it back into his pocket. He than, along with his two Pokemon, got into an odd dramatic pose with his hand in the air and stood there as if he were waiting for something. Several awkward moments passed as the clearing filled with silence. Yamaguchi became overwhelmed with confusion. Was this the performance?

Suddenly the speaker inside Noya's pocket erupted into a loud rock song. The guitar ripped through the air as the drums shook the forest floor. Upon such an eruption Yamaguchi almost jumped out of his skin, while Popplio barked in utter excitement. Noya and his pokemon all the while began to do a well practiced dance.

Noya jumped around as if he were playing an air guitar while his scrafty banged away at invisible drums. With every fourth swing of his hand Scrafty would release a dark ball of some sort that would float through the air. All the while Jolteon ran quickly around the cleaning, so quickly Yamaguchi could barely see the electric pokemon. Spark flew from where Jolteon had only just been and followed his tracks like an electric path.

Yamaguchi watched on in amazement as the team of three filled the clearing with darkness and flashing electricity. It was indeed a sight to see in the daylight but in a darkened room this sort of spectacle would surely shine on a stage. Yamaguchi was so taken by the performance that he didn't even take notice when one of Jolteon spark came much too close for comfort.

"Let's end this guys!" Noya shouted as the rock song reached its climax.

With that Scrafty built up a large dark ball pumping energy into it allowing the ball to grow larger and larger before it became even bigger than Tsukishima. As this happened Jolteon hunkered down as he too created an equally large ball of electricity. The spark from the ball reflected in Yamaguchi's eyes like stars. All three onlookers became swept away by the spectacle as the two balls grew and grew.

As the end of the song began to build up both Pokemon released their balls into the air. The two large balls danced swirling high into the air as Noya, Jolteon and Scrafty danced in sync into position. As the song struck its final cord the two balls collide with a bomb like explosion just above the clearing. A blast of darkness and sparks filled the air as the ground around Yamaguchi shook.

Still overtaken by the performance, Yamaguchi watched in awe as Noya and his team held their ending pose for a moment longer. With his mouth hanging agape, Yamaguchi forgot to clap. Popplio all the while cheered in uttar glee as she blew bubbles left and right. Swirlix seemed to be staring into the void. Yamaguchi was unsure if she had fallen asleep or was shaken from the explosion.

"So, what did you think?" Noya asked with a confident grin.

"That was amazing!" Yamaguchi replied in breathy awe. Still forgetting to clap, he staggered to his feet.

"Yeah, we totally stuck the landing perfectly this time," Noya gloated, both his pokemon nodding along in a very similar fashion.

"You were all in perfect unison. Did you make that up recently?" Yamaguchi found himself asking as he shimmied much closer to Noya.

"Nah, it's something we have been working on for quite awhile now," Noya explained with an almost forced laugh. "To be honest, the last few times we tried that we caught the tops of several trees on fire!" he carried on in a loud bellow. "I'm just glad it worked this time."

Yamaguchi felt himself flinch as his smile faltered. Had he just stared death in the face and not known it? "I-I see," he barely got out. His mind wandered to the egg still nestled on his back feeling a bit guilty for allowing it close to such danger.

"I mean the first time we tried was during a competition and the people in the front row almost lost their eyebrows," Noya carried on as if it were some joke.

Yamaguchi's smile dropped at this wondering if Noya really was a seasoned showcase performer. Something as reckless as setting audience's eyebrows ablaze had to be a disqualification. He looked on at the smaller trainer in disbelief but choose not to verbalize his thoughts.

"Hey, don't give me that look!" Noya snapped, causing Yamaguchi to jump back a bit. "The second round of the Showcase is the most important, ya know, and if you don't end it with a bang there is no way you'll ever win the key," he carried on in a way that made Yamaguchi feel like the smaller of the two once more.

"Second round?" Yamaguchi murmured, hoping he did not seem completely clueless. Yamaguchi knew next to nothing about showcases.

"Yeah, the second round of the showcase is where performers and pokemon perform a free routine just like what you saw us do now," Noya explained with his chest puffed out.

"If the second round is the performance than what is the first round?" Yamaguchi asked.

"The first round you normally perform some predetermined task but the second round is where it is at," Noya sang with stars in his eyes. "In the second round you really get to show off how awesome you and your Pokemon are!"

"And the judges vote on the best routine?" Yamaguchi guessed with a nod.

"Not just the judges but also the audience. Everyone votes on who they thought was the best! Even people watching at home!" Noya spoked as if he were imagining himself on a stage in front of a large crowd.

"Wow!" Yamaguchi gasped as he got swept away in Noya passion. The trees and small stream melted away as he too also felt as if he were standing in front of a large audience. A sense of nerve and awe overtook him at the idea of performing for such a crowd. It shook him but somewhere deep down it also ignited a spark he had never felt before.

"Those stars in your eyes are that of a natural performer," Noya laughed, nudging Yamaguchi out of his daydream. "You're not actually an opponent spying on me, are you?'

"What? No way!" Yamaguchi sputtered, unsure what Noya was going on about. "I came here to join the league," he insisted weakly.

"It's a shame," Noya hummed as he looked from Yamaguchi to his two Pokemon. "You should give showcases a try someday," he carried on as he made eye contact with Yamaguchi. An odd longing filled Noya's eye as if he had just seen an unfair injustice.

The moment left Yamaguchi feeling very out of place. How could Noya be so forward. They had only just met yet he talked as if this were something he'd been pushing Yamaguchi to do for all his life. "W-well, maybe someday," Yamaguchi weakly replied, feeling pressured to acknowledge the idea.

"Yeah, well, only do it if you want to," Noya smiled, giving Yamaguchi's shoulder a strong, stinging pat. The strange atmosphere all but vanished.

It was in that moment that the bushed from just behind Yamaguchi rustled. Startled, Yamaguchi jumped back, almost behind Noya. Noya and his team got into a stance as if they were ready to jump whatever it was. Before anything more cloud be done a person emerged from the bushes.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi cheered, jumping out from behind Noya. Popplio joined in with a few excited bubbles.

Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi with a momentary flash of worry than relife and than annoyance. The annoyance settled in as his eyes wandered to Noya who still looked ready to fight. All the while he said nothing.

"Who do you think you are sneaking up on us like that!" Noya snapped as he took no time in sizing Tsukishima up.

"I heard a loud explosion and assumed the woods were under attack, and like any other person with a brain, I made to evacuate," Tsukishima shrugged as he brushed a leaf from his hair.

"Well, this is a funny place to evacuate to," Noya snapped as he called Tsukishima out on his reasoning. "Who are you anyways?" he demanded, taking a brave step into Tsukishima's bubble.

Tsukishima's eye flinched in annoyance.

"Th-this is my friend, Tsukishima," Yamaguchi cut in, physically inserting himself between the two. "He was probably just looking for me since I often get myself lost," he carried on, his nerves still on high.

"Friend, huh?" Noya hummed in suspicion as he looked around Yamaguchi at Tsukishima. He was not in the least bit convinced.

"Got a problem?" Tsukishima asked in a pompous tone. He looked to Noya as if he wanted nothing to do with him.

Steam began to pour from Noya's ears.

"Sorry if the explosion scared you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi cut in once more. "Noya here was showing me his showcase routine."

"I didn't know blowing up a forest was an acceptable routine," Tsukishima comments, not missing a beat.

"What was that!?" Noya hissed.

"Tsukki…" Yamaguchi whined, looking to his friend in hopes he would stop. They held eye contact for a beat before Tsukki released a defeated 'tch'.

Noya looked on at the two in mild amazement. He hadn't expected the taller trainer to back down so quickly. Perhaps he had judged him too quickly.

"Well, never mind," Noya smiled brightly, in hopes to show Yamaguchi that no harm was done. "I take it your real reason for coming here was to pick up your friend?"

Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi, a long silence filled the air. "He couldn't find his way out of a paper bag," Tsukishima confirmed a bit too honestly.

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Yamaguchi squacked, his cheeks going pink.

"You'd still be at the airport if not for me," Tsukishima carried on with a shrug.

Noya could not help but take note at how Tsukishima talked with much less salt and sass in his tone when addressing Yamaguchi.

"I would have eventually found my way," Yamaguchi mumbled as the pink grew in his cheeks. Popplio comically barked from beside him doing nothing to help.

"I guess you two really are friends," Noya laughed, causing both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima to look at him in various expressions of confusion.

A silence hung in the air that only Yamaguchi and Tsukishima felt was awkward. Noya smiled on as if he were proud of the two's strong friendship. Tsukishima shifted uncomfortably next to Yamaguchi signaling he was quite done with the interaction. Yamaguchi heard the signal loud and clear yet part of him tugged to talk more with Noya about showcases.

"Well, it's getting kind of late," Yamaguchi inevitably mumbled, shifting a bit himself as he spoke.

"You're not leaving already, are you?" Noya frowed. "I still have more moves I wanted to show you!" he carried on, making several heroic poses as he spoke.

"Not interested," Tsukishima mumbled. Yamaguchi felt the need to laugh at the crack but held it in.

"I wasn't talking to you, Goldilocks," Noya teased, giving an almost challenging smile.

Yamaguchi felt an odd tug from both trainers. Tsukki wanting them to return to camp immediately, while Noya's intense stare begging him to stay. Popplio barked happily from beside him, most likely mistaking the atmosphere form something exciting.

"He's not interested!" Tsukishima reiterated before Yamaguchi could give his reply. "If your tricks are anything like the last one, he'd most definitely get his head blown off."

Yamaguchi once again felt a tickle of laughter at Tsukishima's sarcastic tone but his internal conflict didn't allow himself to smile.

"Maybe you should allow him to decide for himself," Noya hummed in almost an accusing tone.

This seemed to upset Tsukishima. He was none too good at receiving criticism and Yamaguchi knew he hated it when people assumed Tsukki pushed him around. Both he and Tsukki knew it not true but the assumption came up more often than not. Tsukki released a small 'tch' and looked about ready to walk off.

"I'd love to see more of your tricks, Noya," Yamaguchi began timidly, choosing his words carefully. "But I really need to get back to camp and prepare lunch and dinner," he explained. It was true. He did have other chores he needed to get done and a very small part of him did fear that Noya would blow his head off with his next trick. He also had a sinking feeling that loud explosions was no good for a developing egg.

"Well, if you insist," Noya groned in disappointment. Both his pokemon seemed to deflate on the spot as well.

"Yes, we insist," Tsukishima mumbled from beside Yamaguchi.

"Maybe the next time we meet you can show me more?" Yamaguchi suggested as an ultimatum. He really did want to talk more of showcases with Noya.

"I guess that would work," Noya nodded, back to his normal chipper self. "Next time we meet I can show you how to set up a good routine so you can try it out for yourself."

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink as Tsukishima looked at him in interest and mild confusion. "Oh, I'd like that. Thanks!" Yamaguchi awkwardly laughed trying his best not to fall to Tsukishima's intrigues glance.

"I'm always down to help new blooming trainers," Noya laughed, giving Yamaguchi a thumbs up.

Tsukishima dramatically rolled his eyes.

A small excited flame grew in Yamaguchi's chest but he did his best to hide his enthuseasum. The sensation was quite new to him but he liked how it felt.

With that Yamaguchi once more thanked Noya for showing him his routine and exchanged their contact information. As he and Tsukishima walked back to camp, Yamaguchi could not help but feel an odd wave of excitement. Noya's routine played over in his mind again and again. Though it had been quite reckless, the routine had filled Yamaguchi with wonder and amazement. As Yamaguchi silently walked beside Tsukishima, he wondered if he too would be able to invoke such emotions in others.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

There we go! Chapter 11 is over! Good old Noya knows how to give us a good exciting chapter. He really is a good senpai to Yama. But what is this! This spark our Yama feels! What could it mean? There is only one way to find out.

Chapter 12 should be up next weekend as always so please keep an eye out for it. Chapter 12 has not been beta read. I need a new beta reader and if you are interested in being my new beta than please let me know. You can message me on Tumblr ( pastaprincess). Send me a private message. I upload my chapters on Google docs so you may need a gmail account to do this job. I have several chapters that need to be beta read (about 5) so at first it may be at lot at first but after that I normally get a chapter done once a week that needs a beta. If you are interested please let me know! You can also message me on here.

Even if you are not wanting to be my beta I would still love to hear from you. Let me know what you think of this chapter and the fic as a whole. I love to hear from my readers. As always thank you all so much for the follows, kudos, bookmarks, follows, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all so don't be afraid to speak up!

That is all for now so see you next chapter!


	12. The Festival: Part 1

Alright! Here is Chapter 12 just in time for the end of the weekend. I hope you all enjoy. This chapter is the first part of a three parter so enjoy!

I found myself a new beta reader. They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Without further ado here is chapter 12!

The Festival: Part 1

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima awoke that morning to find what seemed to be the beginnings of a festival being set up outside the Pokemon center. The two had arrived late to the Pokemon center the night before and had gone right to bed. They had spent the past two days traveling nonstop, and both desperately needed a bit of rest. Both had slept so soundly that neither had heard the crew come in and set up the many festival tents early that morning.

"Wow, I guess it's a good thing we made reservations to stay the night here for the next few days," Yamaguchi hummed in excitement as he watched the setup from the Pokemon center window. He gently polished his dear egg as he spoke, taking care not to be too rough despite his excitement.

"This just means we are going to have to deal with a lot of fuss," Tsukishima muttered from beside Yamaguchi. He had made it clear right off the bat that he was not too happy about the festival.

"I wonder what the festival is for," Yamaguchi mused as he held his egg close to his chest. It was odd to have a festival such as this at a small Pokemon center in the middle of two towns.

"Doesn't matter," Tsukishima replied flatly. "I'm going to pass. I need to do a bit of training myself, and a festival will just distract me."

Yamaguchi felt himself deflate a bit. He had really hoped Tsukki would at least go for a bit. He wasn't one to go to such events alone. There were a lot of people and it always overwhelmed him. He always felt pathetic when he went alone and it only reminded him of how few friends he really had.

"Hey, I didn't expect to see you two here," a kind voice greeted from behind Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

Yamaguchi nearly leaped from his seat as he quickly turned to find the kind smile of Yachi. Yachi stepped back a bit not expecting her greeting to startle Yamaguchi so much. She mouthed an apologetic sorry that Yamauchi immediately shook off.

"Yachi, it's good to see you!" Yamaguchi smiled in greeting.

Tsukishima, on the other hand looked around the room in growing irritation.

"They're not here," Yachi half laughed half sighed. "It's just me this time."

Tsukishima immediately relaxed upon hearing that. He sighed an "oh thank Arceus," that caused both Yamaguchi and Yachi to giggle.

"What brings you here alone?" Yamaguchi asked as he scooted to make room for Yachi to join them.

"I came for the festival," Yachi replied, taking a seat between the two. "Kageyama and Hinata decided to do a bit more training in the woods."

"Oh, so you know what this festival is all about?" Yamaguchi pressed in much interest. 

"Yeah, it's a festival being held by the showcase committee," Yachi smiled in excitement.

Yamaguchi's eyes lit up with stars upon hearing this. The small flame from before made itself present yet again. This all did not go unnoticed by Tsukishima.

"A showcase festival," Yamaguchi cheered in an excitement that came from nowhere.

"Yes! And my first performance is going to be in just a few days and I was hoping that coming here would help me brush up my act," Yachi carried on upon seeing Yamaguchi's enthusiasm on the subject. "They are going to have workshops of all sort," Yachi spoke fast and faster as Yamaguchi leaned in closer to hear more. "And the best part is that she is going to be here," she swooned.

"She?" Yamaguchi pressed in excitement, wanting to know who 'she' was.

"Kiyoko," Yachi barely squeaked out. "Kiyoko Shimizu is going to be here in the flesh!"

"Wow!" Yamaguchi gasped, not knowing who this Kiyoko was but not wanting to be rude.

"I really want to meet her," Yachi shook in excitement. "Maybe I will even get her blessing."

"Who is Kiyoko?" Yamaguchi could not help but ask, wanting in on the excitement.

Yachi seemed almost insulted by the question but shook it off quickly. "Kiyoko is last years Kalos Queen!" Yachi explained with much gusto. "She is the best, most talented, most beautiful performer in all of the world," she pressed on, leaning in closer and closer to Yamaguchi as she spoke. "And she is going to be here today to not only give a small performance but also to have a Q&A."

"Wow!" Yamaguchi gasped. The thought of being in the presence of a winner shook him with awe. He hoped this Kiyoko girl was nice. "I'd like to see her performance," he carried on, secretly yearning to know more about showcases and what they were all about.

"You'll come with me to the festival, then?" Yachi pressed, once again leaning far too close to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi held his egg close as he glanced up at Tsukki. Tsukishima shrugged to show he didn't care what Yamaguchi chose to do. "Yeah, why not," Yamaguchi decided.

"Really!?" Yachi gasped in relief. "Thank goodness. I was so scared to go alone. It's a good thing I stumbled across you two."

Yamaguchi could not help but chuckle at his spazzy friend. "Yeah, I hate going to these kinds of things alone too," he admitted.

"Together is always better! Numbers make us stronger," Yachi cheered, tossing her small fist into the air. It was then that Yachi's eyes caught sight of the egg in Yamaguchi's arms. "Is that an egg!?"

"Yeah," Yamaguchi hummed, holding it protectively close to himself. "I got it from a friend," he explained awkwardly. It felt odd calling Shimada a friend, but he didn't know what else to say.

"Wow, do you know what it is?" Yachi gasped as he reached a hand out to stroke it, which Yamaguchi allowed. She was very gentle as she did so. "It's so warm," she whispered.

"I wasn't told what was inside but I have my suspicions," Yamaguchi nodded, looking to the egg with much affection.

"Raising an egg seems so scary," Yachi admitted as she stroked it some more.

"I thought so too but it's going a lot better than I expected," Yamaguchi hummed as he gently pressed the egg to his chest.

"I bet it's because you are a good mommy," Yachi giggled at the show of affection.

"He is a good mommy," Tsukishima agreed, thought Yamaguchi expected half of it was to get a reaction out of him.

Yamaguchi's ears went pink from the comment. "I just did what the books said," he insisted, not used to this kind of attention.

"Well, you're doing a wonderful job," Yachi cheered brightly.

The pink spread from Yamaguchi's ears to his cheeks. He distracted himself by looking to the egg and giving it a gentle rub as he squeaked out a shy "Thanks."

Tsukishima suddenly stood up. From where he sat, Yamaguchi could not see the tint of pink upon his cheeks. "I better be on my way. I want to be out of here before the festivities start," Tsukishima announced.

"Oh, you're not going to join us?" Yachi frowned.

"I have things to do," Tsukishima replied coolly, though there was no scorn in his tone.

"Will you be back for dinner?" Yamaguchi asked, looking up to his best friend.

"I should be back before sunset," Tsukishima confirmed. With that, he walked off silently.

Both Yachi and Yamaguchi watched him as he went. Yamaguchi wished that Tsukki had stayed to enjoy the day with them but knew better than to expect that of him. Tsukki was not into large crowds and most likely had little interest in showcases. Yamaguchi, on the other hand was warming up to the newly found sport.

"I have a brochure if you want to look at what sorts of events are going to take place today," Yachi said, pulling out a pamphlet from her bag.

"Oh!" Yamaguchi hooted in interest, leaning over to take a look.

Yachi opened the pamphlet and rambled off about the different activities to be held that day. There was a seminar for first-time contestants, a beginner cooking competition, a fashion competition and even a trivia game. Yamaguchi hummed and awed as Yachi rambled about all the booths and guests that would arrive, all of which Yamaguchi found to be quite fascinating and new.

"We better head over and get a spot at the seminar before it fills up," Yachi said as she closed up the pamphlet.

Yamaguchi was surprised to see that a whole thirty minutes had passed as they discussed the pamphlet. "Oh, right! Let me just get my egg situated," he replied in haste.

It wasn't long before the two had made their way to the flurry of tents. Several of the tents were just opening. Yamaguchi saw that some were selling various pokemon care times, while others sold exotic ingredients and others sold fashion items. Other tents focused more on information explaining the best way to care for your pokemon. All were wonderful and exciting and Yamaguchi could not help but jump in and get a look at each booth. But that would have to wait until after the opening ceremony.

The two trainers finally came to a small open area lined with chairs just outside the forest. In front of the chairs was a portable wooden stage. Upon the stage sat a long table, some chairs, and a few microphones. Not many trainers were sprinkled amongst the chairs, so Yamaguchi and Yachi were able to easily find seats near the front.

"I guess we are a little early," Yachi giggled sheepishly.

"Better early than standing," Yamaguchi shrugged. Being a nervous person himself he understood her haste to want to get a seat. Yachi smiled at his understanding.

It wasn't long before all the chairs were filled. Yamaguchi was relieved that they had come early for soon there was only standing room available. He looked around the area, wondering if he would see Noya, but didn't spot the excitable trainer anywhere. A seminar didn't seem like something Noya would go for anyways.

Yamaguchi ended his search when someone walked on stage and the crowd began to quiet down. A mousy looking man with square glasses, short, dark hair and a kind smile stood in the center of the stage. He looked out over the crowd as if he were speaking into the atmosphere. The man's giddiness seeped into Yamaguchi's skin making him also feel in a similar way.

"Welcome everyone," the man spoke into the microphone, his voice echoing over the crowd and into the trees. "My name is Takeda and I will be your MC for today's event," he introduced himself in such a way that it made all who heard it feel calm and welcome. "As many of you know this is the 10th biggest Showcase seminar. We will have all sorts of events for you to partake in as well as seminars for you to learn from," he explained, smiling brightly as he did so. "Before we carry on with the schedule for the day I would like to introduce you all to today guests."

It was in that moment that Yachi clasped on to Yamaguchi's arm in excitement. She made a squeaking noise from deep within her throat as her small hands began to cut off the blood circulation to Yamaguchi's forearm. The vice-like grip caused Yamaguchi to stiffen but he dare not pull away. He did his best to focus on the stage in hopes to distract himself from the discomfort.

"First I would like to introduce last year's third-place Kalos Showcase finalist, Sugawara Koushi, who is best known for his skill in the kitchen and the meticulous care he takes when grooming his pokemon," Takeda introduced as an older trainer with gray hair and a beauty mark just under his eye entered the stage. Alongside the trainer walked a very fluffy Cinccino.

"Thank you very much for having me today," Sugawara began once he reached center stage with Takeda. Cinccino stood beside him, her perfectly groomed fur shining in the sun.

Yamaguchi could not help but feel a bit of a blush coming on as he looked upon Sugawara. He'd never seen a man so beautiful in all his life. Just being in the presence of Sugawara set the whole crowd to feeling so refreshed it was as if they'd all simultaneously taken a drink of cool, sweet, and fresh spring water.

"I am looking forward to getting to know all of you," Sugawara ended with a bright smile that filled everyone's hearts with warmth. His Cinccino gave an adorable cry from beside Sugawara. The whole crowd clapped loudly as Sugawara and Cinccino turned to take a seat at the long table.

Takeda thanked Sugawara before taking his place back on center stage. "Our next guest is last year's Kalos Showcase finalist, Oikawa Tooru," Takeda announces and upon doing so more than half of the females in the crowd erupted into screams.

Yamaguchi almost jumped out of his seat from the sudden eruption of noise. Yachi's grip on his arm loosened and he turned to find Yachi rolling her eyes like she'd expected this to happen. Yamaguchi looked around in confusion. Several of the other males in the crowd looked put off, but most of the girls were squealing with anticipation. Why was everyone so excited? Was this person really that big of a deal?

Just then a man whose looks were nothing less than perfect entered the stage. The squeaking fans grew into loud cheers of "Oikawa!" as Oikawa took center stage. His perfectly styled, soft brown hair blew beautifully in the wind as his shining chocolate-colored eyes looked over the adoring crowd. All the while, a glamorous Roserade followed his every move, including his heartthrob smile.

"Thank you so much for having me. I am so very excited to get to know all of you," Oikawa greeted sweetly. His smile shone like diamonds so much so that it blind all who looked upon him.

Despite its brightness, there was something about this trainer's smile that left Yamaguchi uneasy. While Sugawara had filled him with a happy warmth, this Oikawa made him feel as if he had eaten far too much buttercream frosting. Yamaguchi made a mental note to stay away from the man for the time being.

Takeda once again took center stage while Oikawa took his seat next to Sugawara. Yamaguchi's eyes lingered on the two trainers as Sugawara stiffly greeted Oikawa. Both men shone so beautifully under the fresh spring sun. It left Yamaguchi feeling inferior and hyper-aware of his unkempt hair and freckled cheeks.

"Last but not least, I would like to introduce our final guest," Takeda's voice boomed with cheer.

From the seat next to him, Yamaguchi could hear Yachi whisper a high pitched "It's her!"

"Everyone, please welcome the current Kalos Queen, Kiyoko Shimizu!" Takeda bowed as he motioned to the side of the stage.

From beside Yamaguchi, Yachi cheered so loudly, he thought she could rival all of Oikawa's fangirls.

Yamaguchi felt his breath hitch as the most stunning woman he had ever seen glided onto the stage. She had glorious and silky jet black hair, dark mysterious eyes and her body curved in such a way that it seemed almost goddess-like. Just below her lip sat the perfect beauty mark that only enhanced the milkyness of her soft skin. Yamaguchi was so taken by the woman that he barely noticed the Gardevoir that followed close after her.

Once on center stage, Kiyoko turned to face the crowd. She stood meekly, but something about her blew Yamaguchi away that no other person had ever done before. "Thank you for having me," Kiyoko spoke in such a soft and gentle tone that Yamaguchi's heart nearly burst from his chest.

"Thank you very much, Miss. Kiyoko," Takeda hummed as Kiyoko took a seat at the large table between Oikawa and Sugawara.

Sugawara greeted Kiyoko with a shining smile that she returned. The moment was so comfortable between the two that all who saw it suspected them to be old friends. Oikawa, on the other hand, gave a forced polite smile before snubbing both of them, which neither Kiyoko nor Sugawara seemed bothered by.

"As I mentioned before, today we'll have many activities available for you all, with each one being specifically designed to help ready all you new, blooming performers!" Takeda cheered. "So don't forget to sign up for the events so you don't miss out."

The ceremony then ended with Takeda listing several of the panels and activities that would be held that day. All the while Yamaguchi hugged the incubator close as he listened along. He took note of a baking seminar that would be held by Sugawara later that day as well as a Q&A with Kiyoko he suspected Yachi would not want to miss. Before long, Takeda ended the ceremony and set the crowd loss to enjoy the festivities.

"Come on, Yamaguchi, if we don't hurry, all of the slots for the panels will fill up," Yachi said hastily, practically dragging Yamaguchi out of his seat.

Yamaguchi didn't argue with the girl. Just looking at her face, he could tell she was in no mood to argue. With both trainers being clumsy by nature, they stumbled through the crowd as best as they could to the signup station.

The station was crowded by the time they got to it. It took several moments for the staff to get the rowdy trainers under control. All the while Yamaguchi did his best to protect his precious egg amongst the jostling people. Before long the crowd was organized into a tidy line and unfortunately for Yamaguchi and Yachi, they had ended up near the end.

"How could this have happened!?" Yachi cried as she peeked around the line to the far-off sign up table. "We got here so early and yet here we are at the end of the line."

"Don't worry, Yachi," Yamaguchi comforted the best he could. "I'm sure there will still be spots for us by the time we get to the front," he insisted. Part of him suspected the vast majority of the crowd was there to join a panel with Oikawa.

Yachi gave a small and dissatisfied hum but didn't say much more after that. The rest of their waite was spent with her nervously looking to the front of the line while Yamaguchi fussed over his egg. To his relief, it looked as good as new despite the shuffle they had just been in.

Before long, the two had made it to the front of the line. The staff members at the table, consisting of two very flustered women, greeted them with very tired smiles. Yachi sped fast to the one on the right while Yamaguchi settled beside her.

"Sorry but all the panels led by Oikawa are full," one of the ladies said reluctantly, mistaking Yachi's urgency as one of his fans.

Yachi seemed to catch on to this pretty fast, and went quite red in the face. "That's fine!" she barely choked out. "B-But are there any spots left in Kiyoko's panels?" she squeaked hopefully.

The lady hummed as she looked through several papers. "It looks like there are a few slots open for the Q&A with her if you'd like to join that."

"We would!" Yachi insisted far too loudly, making everyone, even Yamaguchi, recoil in shock.

"A-Alright than," the lady sputtered, though she smiled nonetheless. "Will that be for both of you?" she asked, looking to Yamaguchi, who gave a small nod and said nothing more.

"Each attendee it able to join two special events. Is there any other you would like to join?" The other lady calmly informed them.

"Since I picked the Q&A why don't you pick the other one, Yamaguchi," Yachi insisted as if it were her way of saying sorry for her behavior.

"Oh, well, what slots are left," Yamaguchi asked, his tone a little awkward and unsure.

"Well, there is a flower arranging panel, a grooming panel and quite a few spots open at the baking panel," The lady closest to Yamaguchi read off.

The last option most definitely sparked Yamaguchi's interest. "The baking panel, if that's okay with you, Yachi," Yamaguchi decided after a moment's thought.

"Sounds good to me!" Yachi cheered.

With that, the two signed up for their two events before leaving the table. By the time they had finished, it was already well into the afternoon, and both of them were feeling it in the pits of their stomachs.

"Shall we do lunch? We still have an hour before the baking panel starts," Yachi suggested.

The two scoped out a patch of grass under a large tree just bordering the forest. Yamaguchi called out Popplio and Swirlix while Yachi called out a very friendly Bulbasaur and a playful Dedenne. Yamaguchi had insisted Yachi's pokemon to partake in dining on his homemade pokemon food, and before long all four pokemon were getting along as if they had known each other for ages.

"Wow, I've never seen either of them eat so fast," Yachi hummed as she watched her two pokemon go to town on their meal.

"It's a family recipe," Yamaguchi shrugged, feeling his a wave of awkwardness wash over him. He turned his attention to his sandwich in hope to distract himself.

"And you made all these muffins as well!" Yachi grinned as she took a bite from a spiced oran berry muffin Yamaguchi had offered her. "They're so sweet and fluffy!"

"They're nothing special. I made them early this morning in the pokemon center's kitchen," Yamaguchi explained, as if it were a normal thing for a tainer to do so early in the morning. "They're really quick and easy. Takes less than an hour, if I'm being honest."

"Man, I really wish I could bake this well," Yachi sighed before going in for another muffin. "It would really make these showcases much easier for me."

"What do you mean?" Yamaguchi asked, not understanding what baking had to do with showcases.

"Baking is a very common first task for showcases," Yachi sighed, but you could see in her eyes that she was enjoying her muffin.

"They have baking in showcases?" Yamaguchi gasped, nearly knocking over his bottle of juice as he did so.

"Yeah, they have all sorts of challenges for the first round," Yachi nodded before she paused to think. "Sometimes it's baking, sometimes it's fashion, I've even heard of trivia questions," she listed off. "There are all sorts of things depending on the showcase."

"Wow, I had no clue, to be honest," Yamaguchi chuckled as he fiddled with his half-eaten sandwich. "Do you have to do all these for the first round?"

"Oh no," Yachi giggled at the thought. "They pick just one. You compete against two others and whoever passes that round out of the three goes to round 2."

"Does the audience decide who passes round one?" Yamaguchi carried on, his interest growing more and more with each question asked.

"No, the judges are the ones who decided for round one," Yachi said with a small nod. "But round two is when you perform a routine and the audience, as well as the judges, vote for the winner."

"Wow, it sounds so complicated," Yamaguchi admitted, though it didn't snuff out his interest in the least. If he were to be honest with himself, it only made his interest grow.

"Yeah, I'm kind of nervous, to be honest," Yachi agreed. "I plan to debut in my first showcase in a few weeks. I'm still working on my routine for it," she nervously admitted.

"I'm sure you are going to do just fine, Yachi," Yamaguchi comforted. Yachi was one of the cutest people he had ever met and that alone gave her loads of appeal.

"I just hope I don't flub it up on stage," Yachi giggled.

"I know the feeling," Yamaguchi hummed, his thought going back to his last battle at Viola's gym. "But, you're a smart girl and both your pokemon seem very capable," Yamaguchi carried on, his tone more chipper. "I'm sure you three will win your first showcase in no time."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, these two really are reliable little guys," Yachi hummed, giving her Bulbasaur a scratch behind the ear.

Yamaguchi smiled as he watched trainer and pokemon bond for a moment. He really did have faith in Yachi. Even if she didn't realize it herself, he could tell she was built for showcases.

"Wow, look at the time," Yachi squeaked, looking at her watch as if she'd just seen it fuse with her arm. "If we don't get moving, we'll miss our first panel!"

With that, the two trainers scrambled to clean up their lunch and made their way back to the festivities.

Well here we go. Our dear Yama is getting some more experience in the showcase relm. I wonder what this festival has in store for him. What will he gain from his time at this festival? Only time can tell!

As always, thank you all so much for being such loyal readers. I love to hear from you all so please do leave a review or comment. Let me know what you think thus far! Also, thank you all for the kudos, bookmarks, follows! All of it really lets me know how you are all enjoying the story thus far. The feedback really helps keep me going!

Well, I hope to see you all next chapter!


	13. The Festival: Part 2

Here we go! Chapter 13! Are you guys ready to see what this festival has to offer out two young trainers. What will Yamaguchi learn? Will anything exciting happen? Let's read and find out :D

I found myself a new beta reader. They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Without further ado, chapter 13!

The Festival: Part 2

When Yamaguchi and Yachi had made it to the gathering area of their first panel of the day, they were surprised to see that most of the seats were open. They looked around only to find a few people sitting near the front three rows and the back four rows were completely empty. Both took seats in the second row from the front due to Yamaguchi insisting the front row being too close for his comfort.

As the two settled in, Yamaguchi set his incubator on his lap and took in his surroundings. At the front sat three tables that looked to be set up with some portable stoves and possibly portable mini ovens. Yamaguchi had never cooked in a mini oven before. He didn't even know they existed. He pondered for a moment why there would be three tables with such a setup. Perhaps the three guests were going to cook for them.

It was when a loud group of squealing fans in the distance sounded off that Yamaguchi remembered that the three guests were giving panels at the same time. It now made sense why this panel was so empty. Oikawa's panel must be going on at the same time. That being said, who would be cooking today?

"I hope it starts soon," Yachi hummed from beside Yamaguchi. "I can't wait to see Sugawara's decorations. He always made the best Poké Puff out of anyone competing last year."

"Do you think that's what he is going to talk about today?" Yamaguchi said thoughtfully. "I assumed we would be talking about poke-chow or something."

"No, no," Yachi giggled at the idea. "In showcases, they tend to make contestant bake more extravagant things. Something that can be decorated."

"Oh, I guess that makes more sense," Yamaguchi sheepishly agreed. "I used to make Poké Puffs every now and then with my mother and grandmother at the bakery they owned."

"What? Your family owned a bakery?" Yachi gasped, leaning into Yamaguchi's space. "That explains the muffins!"

"Well, sort of," Yamaguchi awkwardly replied. "Back in Alola I grew up on a houseboat and we would take it to a different island each day and sell our baked goods."

"Wow! A houseboat!" Yachi gasped, the tone of her voice getting higher with each word. "That's so cool!"

"Yeah, I guess," Yamaguchi laughed, his tone none too sure. "But everyone from Seafolk Village lives on a houseboat."

"The whole village is made of houseboats?" Yachi almost shouted. "That's so cool! Back in Cerulean City everyone just lives in plain old houses," she spoke with a sigh.

"Being on a boat has its ups but I always got so scared when a storm would come," Yamaguchi reminisced. "We'd have to tie everything down and dock the boat best we could and get jostled around during the worst of the storms."

"That sounds horrible," Yachi lurched as she imagined herself becoming quite seas sick.

It was in that moment that Sugawara and his Cinccino walked onto the small stage, cutting their conversation short. The chairs surrounding the small stage only held about ten people, including Yamaguchi and Yachi, but Sugawara did not seem to be bothered by this in the lease. He looked out over the crowd and smiled at each one of them. When he did so to Yamaguchi it made Yamaguchi's heart go warm as if he were back at home with his grandmother baking a batch of cookies. Despite never talking with him, Yamaguchi already like this Sugawara.

"Thank you all very much for coming to my cooking panel," Sugawara started, his smile still as warm and inviting as ever. "Today we will go over a few easy recipes, some decorating techniques and some of you will even have a chance to partake in an impromptu bake-off."

All three of the things listed caught Yamaguchi's attention. There was no such thing as too many recipes, he was weak when it came to decorating and watching a small competition sounds quite pleasant. From beside him, Yamaguchi was surprised to see Yachi with a pen and notepad in her hand, at the ready to take notes.

It didn't take long for Sugawara to jump into his presentation. He paced back and forth stopping every now and then to address a new section of the small crowd, making sure each and every onlooker got just as much of his attention as everyone else. As he spoke, his Cinccino made herself quite comfortable on the center table. Her fluffy gray fur shined under the sun and looked like clouds as the wind blew through it. Both it and Sugawara took to the stage so naturally, their confidence being something Yamaguchi had yet to ever experience.

"As I am sure many of you know, the first stage of each showcase consists of a themed performance," Sugawara started, his voice capturing all within earshot. "Each themed performance comes with its own criteria and no two are ever the same. This goes for any sort of cooking, baking or food themed performances."

As Sugawara spoke, Yamaguchi found himself enveloped by what he was hearing. It seemed to him that almost every day he was learning loads of things about Showcases since meeting with Shimada. Was it just a coincidence or perhaps a sign? The thought left his mind just as quickly as he did his best to keep up with Sugawara.

"Some may argue that the themed performances don't warrant as much preparation as the second rounds freestyle performance but you can practice your performance routine until your ears turn blue but if you don't pass that first round you will never be able to execute your routine," Sugawara spoke with a sassy smile as he addressed the small crowd. "You might think it's impossible to prepare for the themed contests being that you never know what the theme will be until the day of competition," as Sugawara spoke his smile grew. It was as if he had a large secret he was about to spill and everyone listening was at the edge of their seats to hear it.

Yamaguchi felt himself being drawn in as he unconsciously scooted forward. For someone who was not a performer himself, he could not help but get sucked in by the perfectly executed tensions that Sugawara had built. Even Yachi, who had been scribbling away at her notepad, was now looking to Sugawara with pleading eyes begging him to spill whatever it was he'd kept secret for so long.

This tension seemed to amuse Sugawara for he gave a very small laugh, his nose wrinkling a bit as he did so. "All you have to do is learn a little bit about everything," Sugawara vaguely admitted.

Several people in the crowd, including Yamaguchi, released signs of disappointment. Learning about everything was next to impossible. How was he expected to do that? That is, if he were a performer, which he is not.

"I know what you are all thinking, but it's not as impossible as you might think," Sugawara carried on thoughtfully. "Take baking for example. Some performances my ask for you to focus on taste, while others may focus on decoration and there are even some who focus on utilization of secret ingredients," Sugawara listed off, pausing to allow the crowd to think it all through. "Due to not knowing what they might want from you before going into any showcase it good to make sure you study all sides of any given subject."

Yamaguchi hummed in understanding. He understood what Sugawara was getting at but it seemed next to impossible. Learning about one subject, such as baking, was doable, but showcases contained more than just baking. There was also fashion, agility, trivia and other things that Yamaguchi probably didn't know about yet. The mere idea set him on edge and several times he had to remind himself that he was not a showcase contestant and needn't worry about all this.

"Work at it every day. Go out and learn as much as you can, and you will find that each showcase you perform in will come to you more naturally," Sugawara carried on in encouragement. "And to start you off on your path to knowledge I will teach you a bit about showcases and baking," he finished, with a confident arm pump.

Yamaguchi could not help but give a small wiggle in his seat. The nerves he felt as he listened to Sugawara were nothing like what he felt when facing a gym. He felt nervous but excited. It was like a heat in his stomach that made him want to get up and do something. The feeling was foreign to Yamaguchi, and he didn't quite know what word to give it. Yamaguchi glanced to his side to see Yachi's eyes glued on Sugawara, her pen and notepad long forgotten.

Sugawara spent the next hour or so going over the basics of baking and the sort of things they were expected to make when in a showcase. Most of the baking tips he listed off Yamaguchi already knew by heart, but he didn't mind hearing it again. Several times he found himself nodding along in agreement with the tips Sugawara listed off and when they got to the portion of using ingredients, Yamaguchi borrowed Yachi's notepad and scribbled away. He had been so engrossed by the presentation that once it was over it had only felt like 10 minutes had passed.

"Now, to end today's panel I would like three volunteers, please," Sugawara hummed as he looked over the small crowd. "Who would be interested in testing their basking skills."

Yachi lurched so violently from beside Yamaguchi she almost fell from where she sat. It took Yamaguchi several seconds to realize she had grabbed him by the arm and thrusted it high up into the air. Yamaguchi looked at his hand, surprised to see it up. He hadn't even had time to process everything before Sugawara pointed him out.

"You with the incubator, thank you for volunteering," Sugawara smiled as he looked directly at Yamaguchi.

Yachi released his arm with a small clap before looking at him apologetically. "You're such a good baker, I couldn't help myself," she whispered before taking Yamaguchi's egg form his lap.

Yamaguchi sat, stunned as he looked from Yachi to Sugawara. Sugawara's smile stayed firm, but there was an impatient edge to him that crept with every moment Yamaguchi hesitated. Yamaguchi looked to Yachi again only to have her pushing him lightly from his seat, whispering once more that he had this in the bag. Yamaguchi's mind was too foggy to from shock to argue, and the next thing he knew he had stood up and stumbled to the front.

"Wonderful, and what is your name?" Sugawara greeted as Yamaguchi stood awkwardly in front of him.

"Y-Yamaguchi Tadashi," Yamaguchi replied with a dry and nervous swallow. His voice echoed over the crowd and almost made him outwardly cringe.

"Yamaguchi, go ahead and make yourself acquainted with table number one there," Sugawara instructed as he pointed out the table.

Yamaguchi gave a quiet nod as he floated over like a half-deflated balloon to the table. He turned to face the crowd just as Sugarawa beckoned for the next contestant. Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a small flip as he looked out over the crowd. It was a small crowd, less than 20 now, but was more than Yamaguchi had ever been in front of. His eyes wandered to Yachi who held his egg snug and safe as she gave him a thumbs up. A part of Yamaguchi wondered if she had planned this the whole time.

The next two contestants were much quicker to come up. They didn't hesitate like Yamaguchi did. One was an older girl named Michimiya Yui, who seemed to be somewhat acquainted with Sugawara already. She had a bright smile and looked to Yamaguchi with a wave as she took the table next to his. Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a crazy flip from the attention but did his best to wave back as normally as he could. The final contestant was a trainer named Futakuchi Kenji. He too looked older than Yamaguchi and didn't bother to green either Yamaguchi or Michimiya.

"Now, each one of you will have 1 hour to bake up a dessert of your choice. We have a small pantry of basic ingredients here that you all can use. Also, just like in any Pokemon showcase, you must have one helper Pokemon to help aid you in this task," Sugawara explained, addressing both the contestants and the crowd. As he did so, he revealed a smaller fourth table which was covered in a multitude of berries and under it held basic baking ingredients.

Yamaguchi's eyes shot to the table and before he knew it, he was already formulating what sort of dish he was going to make. He made notes of the utensils on his table as he did so. A mild panic hung around at the back of his mind, but as he organized his mind he fought it off well enough. He became so caught up in his thoughts he momentarily forgot about the crowd watching all together.

"You can only use the ingredients and utensils provided to you. Your dish will be judged by Cinccino and myself. We will judge on both flavor and decoration, so do keep both in mind," Sugawara finished as his Cinccino gave a small cry of happy agreement. "Your time begins now!" He shouted along with Cinccino.

It only took Yamaguchi a moment to decide on who to use as his helper. Calling out Swirlix, Yamaguchi strode over to the table as he thought about what dish to make. His fear of the onlookers was now far behind him and the task at hand consumed his every thought. Despite his determination, he almost tripped twice on his way to the ingredients table. He heard Futakuchi chuckle but did well ignoring it. He looked over the pile of ingredients to find everything from flour to yeast to baking powder as well as five types of sugar. A part of Yamaguchi that he didn't realize existed bubbled with a warm determination.

"Swirlix, I need you to sniff out those berries and find the best of the bunch and place them in our basket," Yamaguchi told Swirlix, using her top quality nose to their advantage.

"Your Swirlix might be able to sniff out the best berried but Kirlia and I are definitely going to win this thing," Michimiya challenged in a very good-natured way that ignited Yamaguchi's determination even more.

"This is going to be another easy win for us, Masquerain," Futakuchi laughed as he pushed past the other two and back to his station.

Yamaguchi's gaze followed Futakuchi for only a moment before he turned back to the table of ingredients. He wasn't going to let it get to him. Baking was something he knew he could do. Doing his best to remember what went into malasada, Yamaguchi and Swirlix gathered up their ingredients and headed back to their station.

Yamaguchi dropped his bag of sugar twice on his way back to the table and heard Futakuchi call "Is dropping that bag of sugar part of your performance?" Several onlookers chuckled as Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright red. His nerves began to get the best of him, but when Swirlix rubbed at his cheek in concern, he began to regroup his thoughts.

As quickly as he could, Yamaguchi instructed Swirlix to organize the berries while he started on the dough. He was quick at making malasadas, for it was something he'd made every morning with his grandmother since he was a small child. It was a recipe he knew off the top of his head and remembered it as if it were his home address. In a matter of minutes, he had the balls of dough set aside to rise. Then, he turned to the berries.

He was pleased to find that Swirlix had not disappointed him in finding the best berries of the bunch. Their sweet aroma filled the air around him as he looked upon them. There were round blue oran berries, some spiked fiery tomato berries and even a few of Tsukki's favorite pecha berries. A moment of longing passed through Yamaguchi as he looked at the pecha berries, but he did well to shake it off.

"Find me the sweetest of the oran and pecha berries and hottest of the tomato berries," Yamaguchi instructed Swirlix.

Swirlix did as she was told and sorted the berried from sweetest to most sour and hottest to least hot. Yamaguchi was amazed at how quickly Swirlix was able to do all this with just her nose. With a pinch of pride, he scratched her behind the ear and promised her a malasada after they were done.

Yamaguchi allowed Swirlix a moments rest as he got to chopping the berries. He heard Yachi cheer for him from the chairs, and a moment of panic washed over him. He had forgotten about the crowd and the fact that his egg was not beside him. He knew it to be safe with Yachi, but when you are the worrying type, rational thought often gets forgotten.

Yamaguchi looked up to see his incubator secure in Yachi's lap as she shot him a thumbs up. He did his best to return the gesture with a smile. He dare not look at anyone else in the crowd as he turned back to his berries. As calmly as he could he got to chopping the berries once more.

As he worked, he heard Sugawara go down the line of tables asking each contestant about themselves and their dish. The other's voices echoed in his mind and made him feel waves of mild nerves. He had never competed like this. No one, other than Tsukki and his family, has ever watched him cook before. He didn't know how he felt about it, but he definitely didn't dislike it.

"So Futakuchi, tell us a bit about yourself?" Yamaguchi heard Sugawara ask.

"Just came to Kalos a few weeks ago. Was a coordinator in Sinnoh last year and wanted to try my hand at this Showcase thing," Futakuchi shrugged, his tone quite pompous. "Already got one key last weekend," he gloated, not even bothering to look up at Sugawara.

"Wow, sounds like you're on your way then," Sugawara hummed, none too bothered by Futakuchi's attitude.

"Yep," Futakuchi replied, popping the p.

Sugawara then moved on to Michimiya, who was busy rolling out some sort of dough. "Michimiya, long time no see," Sugawara greeted as he came upon her. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the crowd."

"Hey everyone, I'm Michimiya and this is my second year doing showcases. Last year I didn't make it all the way, but this year is mine! Watch out Suga!" Michimiya cheered, looking up from her work to smile at Sugawara and the crowd.

"I better watch my back than," Sugawara played along.

"I'm coming for you, Suga," Michimiya joked.

Sugawara than moved on to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi felt his heart beat heavily as he felt Sugawara come closer. He was no good at interviews, especially when those interviews included taking in front of a crowd.

"And, last but not least is Yamaguchi," Sugawara announced to the crowd. "Tell us a bit about yourself," he prompted, holding the mic towards Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi looked up and the world around him spun for a moment. He did well not to look at the crowd but awkwardly bumped into the mic when he went to speak. Futakuchi laughed loudly as Sugawara apologized.

"I-I'm Y-Yama-g-guchi!" Yamaguchi barely got out. He felt sweat begin to drip down his cheek as he did his best to keep it together. "From Alola," he barely got out.

Sugawara could clearly see the distress in the younger trainer. "Is this your first time trying out showcases?" Sugawara asked in a calm and inviting a tone as he could.

"Clearly," Futakuchi scoffed from his table.

Yamaguchi swallowed hard as a few onlookers chuckled. "Y-Yes," Yamaguchi sputtered awkwardly. His distress at being under the spotlight shone through like the full moon on a dark night.

"Well, good luck with your dish, it's looking very good so far," Sugawara reassured calmly, picking up loud and clear at Yamaguchi's stage fright. He then leaned over the table and whispered "It's okay to take a moment to breathe. You're doing fine and still have plenty of time." He smiled calmly at Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi looked to Sugawara to find the older trainer giving him a genuine reassuring smile. Yamaguchi than set down his knife to take a few calming breaths. His nerves began to calm once more and his shoulders relaxed with each breath he took. Before he knew it he was able to smile again.

"See, I knew you had it in you," Sugawara hummed, sounding like a proud mother despite only just meeting Yamaguchi.

"Thank you, Sugawara," Yamaguchi chirped, grateful to have such a calming presence around.

"Not a problem," Sugawara smiled brightly. "And call me, Suga."

"Thanks, Suga," Yamaguchi corrected, enjoying the sound of the other trainer's name on his tongue.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi had his chopped berries simmering in a pot over one of his two burners. Now much calmer and focused once more on the task at hand, Yamaguchi started on making a custard to fill his malasada. He and Swirlix worked together to pick out the best eggs for the task. As pokemon and trainer working in tandem, it didn't take much time for them to create the creamiest, silkiest custard they'd ever seen. Yamaguchi, all the while was surprised at Swirlix's dexterity in the kitchen. He had chosen right with her for this task.

As Yamaguchi allowed his fruit and custard fillings to cool, he and Swirlix got onto frying their dough. Yamaguchi was relieved to see that they had risen perfectly and with not much time left, he and Swirlix got to frying them. Hot oil spat and bubbled as Yamaguchi took extra care not to allow any of it to splash onto Swirlix.

From next to him, Yamaguchi could hear and smell the other two competitors working on their dishes. The air in the arena was filled with a sweet, decadent smell that caused the crowd watching to grow. Yamaguchi, all the while, was too focused on his malasadas to notice the growth in onlookers.

Before Yamaguchi knew it, his dough was perfectly fried and ready to be filled. He and Swirlix did their best to fill the malasada as evenly as they could with their fruit and custard creations. Yamaguchi's hands shook and as they did so it caused him to overfill and explode two of the malasada and drop one. Several times he had to stop and take a breath to allow his nerves to calm. He found himself questioning why he was even up on stage. He didn't perform in showcases, but here he was. Several times, Swirlix would bring him back and remind him of the task at hand.

Decorations were something Yamaguchi was weakest at when it came to baking. His finesse needed much work, but he did his best to present each malasada as best he could. It showed quite obviously that Yamaguchi was a little heavy handed. Each dough ball was covered in sparkling sugar and drizzled in a melting white chocolate ganache whose color matched the berries inside. He placed misshapen star-shaped berry bits atop each doughnut. As the clock counted down to the last seconds Yamaguchi wished he could have had more time to reshape the star bits.

"Time!" Sugawara sang along with his Cinccino and all three contestants stepped away from their dishes.

Yamaguchi glanced to the side to see that both Michimiya and Futakuchi had created beautiful Poké Puffs, which immediately set Yamaguchi's stomach flipping. He began to second guess his dish. Perhaps malasadas weren't good enough. Why did any of this even matter to him? He wasn't a performer but somewhere deep within his gut a burning need to prove himself grew with each passing minute. His eyes stayed fixed on Sugawara as he stepped forward to judge the dishes.

Well now! I wonder who out Yama had done? Will his malasada be able to beat out the pokepuffs? I wonder who will win? Let's read on and see!

Thank you all so much for reading this far. I know not much has happened and this fic is slow going but I do hope everyone is enjoying it. I ma having a blast writing it! I always love to hear from you guys to know what you think and feel about the story thus far. Feel free to always drop in and leave a comment/review!

Thank you to all of those who have left kudos, follows, and bookmarks. It is always a great way to let me know the enjoyment of the fic. It help fule me to write more.

Also, incase I don't get a chance to do so, I want to wish you all a Happy Halloween! I am making Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Maple Syrup Frosting soaked in RUM to celebrate the holiday! Also going to dress as a good old Gryffindor (probably Neville) as my costume! Hope you all have a spooky and safe Halloween!

See you all next chapter!


	14. The Festival: Part 3

Hey everyone! So here we go! Chapter 14! Let's wrap up this festival! I wonder who is going to win? Let's find out!

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Here we go! Chapter 14!

The Festival: Part 3

Yamaguchi's stomach bubbled with a mix of nerves and desperation to prove his worth, a feeling like nothing Yamaguchi had ever felt before. He'd always been so afraid of judgment or confrontation, but in that moment he felt like he had done something to be proud of. Something he wanted to share with others. It was a nice feeling, a feeling he wanted to hold onto.

Sugawara turned to face the crowd once more. "We will start judging now but before that, I have some guests judges I'd like to call onto the stage," Sugawara smiled. Many of the onlookers whispered in excitement.

It was in that moment that Yamaguchi took notice of how many people were watching them. All seats were now full. There had to be at least 40 people watching. Once more, Yamaguchi felt his stage fright trickle back. He thanked Arceus that he hadn't noticed the growth in the crowd when he was cooking or he might not have finished.

"Kyoko and Oikawa please come on to the stage," Sugawara cheered as the other two guests strode out onto the stage with their Pokemon. "Thank you both for joining us." Oikawa's fan club sounded off in the back of the audience as Oikawa and Kyoko joined Sugawara.

"Not a problem, Mr. Refreshing," Oikawa purred, leaning in close to Sugawara, who looked about ready to slap him but restrained himself well. "Had some extra time since my panel ended a bit earlier."

"It smells wonderful, too," Kyoko cooley comments from the other side of Sugawara. Her hair blew like silk in the wind as she spoke and Yamaguchi was pretty sure he heard a loud gasp from Yachi.

"We will be judging them on taste, presentation, and creativity," Sugawara explained to the other two.

"You got it, Mr. Refreshing," Oikawa hummed. He seemed to be getting enjoyment out of the way his nickname miffed Sugawara. It was like watching a boy tease his childhood crush. It left Yamaguchi feeling slightly awkward.

Sugawara rolled his eyes before pushing Oikawa toward the first table for judging. Oikawa gave one of his fake innocent laughs that only caused Sugawara to push him once more. All the while, Kyoko followed the two as if their one-sided flirting wasn't going on in front of her. The three judges, along with their Pokemon, approached Futakuchi first.

Futakuchi smiled at each judge as he pushed his Pokepuffs towards them. He had made a beautiful chocolate Pokepuff with a pink berry whipped topping. With silicone molds, he'd decorated the frosting with bits of perfectly cased dark chocolate flowers. Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a flip for not thinking of doing the same.

"I have for you today my special Dark Chocolate Razz Berry Pokepuff," Futakuchi confidently said as he and his Masquerain stood proudly.

The three judges and their pokemon each took a bite from the puff. Sugawara's Cinccino purred happily as it ate the treat but Oikawa's Roserade did not seem to like it too much. This caused Futakuchi to shook the grass type a look that didn't sit well with Oikawa.

"It's a bit too bitter if you ask me, and the chocolate decorations were tempered incorrectly," Oikawa spouted off with very little care for the contestants feeling.

Futakuchi scoffed at his comment but wisely said nothing.

"The balance of the sweet frosting and chocolate pastry is executed well enough, and the tart from the Razz Berry really brings it all together," Sugawara cut in, his tone much more caring. "But, the chocolate decorations don't have the snap that chocolate should have," he carried on, reluctantly agreeing with Oikawa.

Oikawa flashed Sugawara a sassy smirk.

"I also enjoy your frosting skills. It was very balanced," Kyoko quietly added.

"Nice work, Futakuchi," Sugawara smiled before they moved onto Michimiya.

Futakuchi thanked them with a smile but when Oikawa turned his back he made a face. Yamaguchi would have laughed if not for the very stressful situation he was in. He felt the odd burning in his core turn heavy as the judges moved closer.

"Hey, Suga, Kyoko," Michimiya greeted the two like an old friend. "Oikawa," she added, her tone a little less familiar but friendly nonetheless.

"I thought this contest was meant to be for beginners," Oikawa drawled, earning himself a look from Sugawara.

"No one else in the crowd volunteered," Michimiya shrugged, not falling to Oikawa's bait. She looked to Oikawa for a reaction and was met with a pout.

Yamaguchi longed for confidence like that. Michimiya didn't even blink an eye when Oikawa took a jab at her. It was obvious that the three judges were acquainted with her in some way and that probably made it easier for her to stand in front of them with such confidence.

"So, what did you make for us today?" Sugawara asked, making an effort to ignore Oikawa.

"Well today I have a minty nomel berry Pokepuff," Michimiya hummed, pushing her creation towards the judges. The delicate desert contained a mellow yellow pastry topped with a minty green frosting. Adorning the frosting were flanks of edible gold and delicately piped pink flowers. Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a flip at the beauty of the dish.

"Oh, nomel berries. A very tricky ingredient," Oikawa said with a click of his tongue.

"Nice work on the piping," Sugawara cut in as he examined the dessert.

"Learned from the best," Michimiya replied with a wink.

The three judges and their Pokemon all took a bite of their Pokepuffs. Sugawara and Kyoko hummed thoughtfully while Oikawa pulled a face. Kyoko's Gardevoir seemed partial to the treat but Cinccino and Roserade didn't seem too into the puff.

"Just as I expected, a little on the sour side," Oikawa huffed with a shrug, not bothering to take another bite. His Roserade followed suit.

"It is a bit sour but you did quite well for working with a nomel berry. If you added a bit less berry and some more mint, it may have balanced out a bit better," Sugawara commented before taking another bite of the puff. "But in all, I personally like it."

"My Gardevoir would agree," Kyoko added, looking to find that Gardevoir had finished her puff. "For someone who loves sour treats, this is just right."

"Thank you very much," Michimiya bowed, genuinely taking all comments to heart.

The three judges then turned to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi gave a small jump, causing a spoon to clunk from his table to the floor. Futakuchi could be heard snickering from the other side of Michimiya and Yamaguchi failed to tune it out. He did his best to keep his heart under control and a smile on his face. He was pretty sure he looked horrified.

"What do we have here?" Oikawa hummed, being the first to approach Yamaguchi's station. "Not a Pokepuff? What a surprise."

"Oh, a Malasada!" Sugawara said with an excited smile. "It's an Alolan specialty, isn't it?" he looked to Yamaguchi with excitement.

"Y-Yeah," Yamaguchi stuttered, doing his best to keep his voice calm. "I m-made a m-mixed berry and c-custard malasada," Yamaguchi somehow got out.

"Arceus, what an amatuer," Futakuchi could be heard from somewhere beyond Michimiya.

"Would you shut up!" Michimiya hissed, causing Yamaguchi to feel both grateful and embarrassed.

"Well, I am very excited to try it," Sugawara hummed as he looked over Yamaguchi's malasada.

"The decoration is a bit heavy-handed. Are these meant to be stars?" Oikawa said as he looked over the doughnut. "I can already tell the ganache is far too thick."

"R-right!" Yamaguchi felt himself deflate. He couldn't argue with Oikawa for he was right. His was the worst of the bunch in the decoration department.

The three judges and their Pokemon all took a bite of their malasada. The three Pokemon seemed to enjoy the treat, all taking several more bites until they finished it all together. Sugawara let loose a small and happy hum while Kyoko looked like she was taken away somewhere far.

"I must say, this might look the worst but it does taste like I'm back on the beaches of Alola," Oikawa hummed, his eyes looking somewhere far away from where they were.

"It does remind me of the days I spent training on Akala Island," Koyko agreed with a sigh. Her silky black hair blew in the wind, making her seem reminiscent of a maiden at the beach. Her Gardevoir trilled in elegant agreement. Form somewhere out in the crow Yamaguchi heard a gasp from Yachi.

"The berries keep their freshness, the cream is smooth, the dough so fluffy, and there is even a spicy burn that comes in at the end!" Sugawara sang with stars in his eyes.

Yamaguchi felt his heart swell with joy. To receive such comments from some of the top showcase contestants filled him with pride for the first time ever. He couldn't help but smile as he watched both trainer and Pokemon enjoy his creation.

"Too bad you don't know how to decorate," Oikawa sneered like a child. At this Yamaguchi's smile faltered.

"Decoration you can learn in time, but a talent with ingredients is something much harder to attain," Sugawara grumbled, bumping Oikawa with his hip. "Keep up the good work, Yamaguchi."

"T-Thank you, Suga," Yamaguchi nodded with a small smile. The pride he felt still filled his chest with warmth.

Sugawara and the other two judges then turned to face the crowd. "We are now going to discuss amongst ourselves and will announce the winners in a few minutes. The contestants please stay on stage," Sugawara explained before he, Kiyoko and Oikawa went behind the stage.

Several people in the crowd began to talk amongst themselves. Yamaguchi felt his stagefright lessen as people turned to talk with their friends. He took a moment to thank Swirlix for her hard work, allowing her one of the leftover Malasada.

"Wow, your malasada must be amazing if Oikawa openly praised it," Michimiya said as she approached Yamaguchi's station. "Mind if I try one?" she asked, gesturing to one of Yamaguchi's few leftover malasada.

"S-sure, go ahead," Yamaguchi stuttered, still trying to regain control of his voice.

"Wow, these are amazing. How did you get the berries to taste so fresh despite cooking them?" Michimiya gasped before taking another bite of the malasada. All the while, her Kirlia begged at her leg for a try.

"I-It's nothing really," Yamaguchi mumbled shily before handing Kirlia a malasada of her own.

"It's wonderful... Yamaguchi was it?" Michimiya half praised half asked.

"Yes, Yamaguchi is correct," Yamaguchi replied, feeling himself becoming more comfortable.

"You'll have to give me some tips sometime, Yamaguchi," Michimiya said with a smile. "Ever cook with nomel berries?" she joked.

"A few times. My mom really likes them," Yamaguchi shrugged. "My family has a pretty mean nomel berry curd."

"Yikes, these are ugly!" Futakuchi cut in, snatching one of Yamaguchi's malasada without asking and taking a big bite.

"Hey!" Michimiya scolded, scowling at Futakuchi. "Taking another contestants dish without asking is rude, you know!"

"Damn, it's too bad you suck at decorating because these are delicious," Futakuchi laughed as he finished off the malasada.

"This was my first time trying any sort of competition," Yamaguchi defended with a frown, though he did feel pride from the complement of the taste.

"Well, with this lack of finesse you will never win a showcase," Futakuchi sassed, his hands on his hips.

"So, I can get better at decoration. At least all the judges and Pokemon finished my dish!" Yamaguchi retorted, his pride giving him a bit more of a backbone.

"Look at you, talking so big," Futakuchi mocked. He seemed miffed by Yamaguchi's last comment. "It's obvious to everyone here watching that you have no clue what you are doing. You were bumbling and stuttering any time you were asked a question. How lame."

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink. He knew how stupid he must have looked up there to everyone. It didn't mean Futakuchi had to go and point it out as he did. Yamaguchi's pride waned for only a moment. He desperately tried to keep hold of it.

"Shut up, Futakuchi," Michimiya cut in. She frowned deeply at Futakuchi as she did do. "It's obvious you are jealous that the judges liked his dish over yours."

"We'll see about that!" Futakuchi snapped. "I'll make you two eat your words when the judges crown me the winner!" With that, he turned on his heels and headed back to his station.

"What a baby," Michimiya sighed as she watched him go. "Don't listen to a word he said. You did a fine job out here. Better than I was my first time doing anything like this."

"Thanks, I'm fine, really," Yamaguchi insisted, doing his best to smile to prove his point. He glanced over at Futakuchi only to see the trainer make a face. It was quite childish, and made Futakuchi's words sting much less.

Michimiya bid her farewell as she made her way back to her station as well. It was only moments later that the judges entered the stage once more. All went quiet as the three and their Pokemon stopped center stage.

"Before we announce the winner, we would like to call all three contestants up to the front," Sugawara said, summoning Yamaguchi and the others to join them center stage.

Yamaguchi scooped up Swirlix and stumbled with the other two to center stage. He heard Futakuchi snicker but did well to ignore it. The three stood between Oikawa and Sugawara with Michimiya in the middle and Yamaguchi to her right and Futakuchi to her left. They all faced the crowd, Yamaguchi doing his best to keep his cool. He glanced over the crowd to find Yachi giving him a thumbs up over his incubator.

"You all did a phenomenal job with your dishes," Sugawara began as he looked over the three contestants.

"Futakuchi, your dish was decorated well but the balance of bitter and sweet was slightly off, and your chocolate was not well-tempered," Kyoko cooly spoke.

"And Michimiya, your Puff was the best decorated of the bunch, but was a little on the sour side," Sugawara carried on.

"And Yamaguchi, your malasada carried the best flavor and texture but it looked like it was decorated by a five your old," Oikawa hummed with sass. Yamaguchi couldn't help but reluctantly agree.

"But there can only be one winner…" Sugawara said, pausing for the dramatic tension.

Yamaguchi felt his heart beat fast. For some odd reason, he really wanted to win this. He had never been in a showcase nor ever cared about them but here he is now praying to win a contest at a showcase festival. Something he should not care about but strangely he does.

"And today's winner is…." Sugawara reiterated. "Michimiya!"

Michimiya gave a small surprised squeak before stepping forward. Some confetti shot into the air as Sugawara handed her the small trophy. Yamaguchi felt a wave of disappointment, but at the same time he felt happy for Michimiya. She really had done the best of the bunch.

"Your Puff has such a light texture and was cooked to perfection," Kyoko complimented as she congratulated.

"And the pipework was just phenomenal. Each flower looked just as uninformed as the next. True skill," Oikawa added.

"Congratulations!" Sugawara cheered as everyone clapped.

"Thank you all so much," Michimiya and Kirlia both bowed deeply.

Yamaguchi clapped along with the rest of the crowd. He was sad he hadn't won, but he felt that if he were put in this situation again he would win for sure. The mere idea set his soul afire.

With that, the contestants were allowed to gather up the rest of their leftover desserts as a crew came in to clean up the stage. Yamaguchi had half a dozen of his malasada left and was excited to share them with Tsukki later that night. As he gathered his things, he could not help but think over ways he could have done better.

"I really thought you were going to win," Michimiya sighed, standing beside Yamaguchi's station.

"What? No way! You're Pokepuff was obviously the best," Yamaguchi shook his head furiously as he spoke.

"I don't know," Michimiya hummed. "I'm pretty sure if your decoration had been more on point you'd be the one with the trophy."

"That's not true," Yamaguchi insisted, wondering if Michimiya really meant it.

"Well, it was a fine battle against you two, I guess," Futakuchi mumbled as he came up beside Michimiya. "But next time I will be the winner and my prize will be a key."

"We'll see about that!" Michimiya challenged, a fire in her eyes. "I plan to make it all the way this year."

"Bring it!" Futakuchi retorted.

A part of Yamaguchi wanted to join in on the rivalry but he wasn't a contestant. Not really. He had come here to earn badges, not keys. But his resolve weighed every second he thought about it.

"Well, see you two at the next showcase than, and we will see who the real winner is," Michimiya growled in good competition.

"Yes, we shall meet on the stage once more!" Futakuchi agreed. "See you both very soon!" His tone was sly and competitive as he spoke.

Yamaguchi found himself giving a mindless nod as the two walked off. He hadn't in his heart to tell them the truth. A part of him longed to see them both on a stage like this once more. For a moment he felt like he was being tugged apart.

"Wow, Yamaguchi, you were amazing," Yachi gasped as she approached Yamaguchi's station. "I knew you were a good baker, but I didn't know you were that good!" She carried on, handing Yamaguchi his precious incubator. "And you got to talk to Kyoko! What was it like?"

"Thank, Yachi," Yamaguchi mumbled as he gently reclaimed his egg. "Kyoko was nice. Almost blinding, to be honest. I don't know how I even got a word out around her," he admitted.

"Right! I probably would have vomited if I were you," Yachi squeaked, though she looked like she wanted nothing more than to meet with Kyoko in the flesh.

"Well, you might get to test that theory at the Q&A," Yamaguchi shrugged, wondering what would happen if Yachi really did vomit when talking with her. The idea set his stomach queasy as well.

"Yamaguchi!" Sugawara cut in, approaching the two. Yamaguchi turned to see a bright smile on the refreshing trainers face. "Oh, is this a friend?" he said once he got to the two.

"Yes, Yachi was the one who tricked me into volunteering," Yamaguchi sighed, though he was now grateful for it.

"Well, nice to meet you, Yachi. You can call me Suga," Sugawara introduced himself easily.

"Y-Yes! Call me Yachi!" Yachi all but shouted, stiff as a board when she bowed.

Sugawara chuckled lightly before turning to Yamaguchi. "I wanted to talk with you before we dispersed."

"Yes? About what?" Yamaguchi wondered, not sure what Sugawara would have to say to him.

"I noticed that you're not listed here as a showcase contestant," Sugawara thoughtfully pointed out. "It this true?"

"Well, to be honest, yes," Yamaguchi admitted with a dash of shame. "I'm not a showcase contestant."

"Why not?" Sugawara asked, his expression genuinely surprised.

"I-I don't know," Yamauchi replied in all honesty. "I hadn't thought about showcases before coming here I guess."

"You have a lot of potential, Yamaguchi," Sugawara said in all seriousness. "I think you would do well as a showcase contestant."

"What? No, I-" Yamaguchi began only to be cut off.

"I mean it, Yamaguchi. I hope you will consider giving showcases a chance," Sugawara cut in, his tone leaving no room for discussion.

"Yeah, you were great today. It's like you've done this before," Yachi chimed in with a nod. "Join me as a showcase contestant!"

"I-I'll think about it," Yamaguchi stuttered under the pressure of the two.

"You better," Sugawara firmly said. "I'll be looking for you. If I don't see you in a showcase soon I will hunt you down," he threatened in a way that made Yamaguchi feel like he was talking with his mother.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Yamaguchi sputtered nervously, holding his incubator tightly.

"I'm watching you, boy!" Sugawara playfully glared as he pointed from his eyes to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi gave a small breathy laugh as he watched Sugawara disappear into the crowd. An odd feeling of uncertainty washed through Yamaguchi. It felt as if he were being split in half once more. He was reluctant to just jump into the showcase life. He had come here to partake in the league. He felt like he'd be betraying his original intent, but at the same time the showcase seemed oh so enticing.

"Yamaguchi, if we don't hurry we will miss our next panel!" Yachi urged, breaking Yamaguchi form his thoughts.

"Oh, right!" Yamaguchi replied, is tone still quite distant. Shoving his leftover Malasada into his pack and carefully picking up his incubator, he swiftly followed after Yachi.

The crowd at Kyoko's Q&A was vast. It was one of the last panels of the day and only a few seats in the very back were left open. Yachi wilted in disappointment upon seeing the crowd, but the two took whatever seats they could find and stayed for the panel.

Exhausted from the day, Yamaguchi fell fast asleep as soon as the panel stared. Hunching over and resting his cheek on his incubator he didn't even wake up when Yachi had been called upon to ask a question. It was only when Yachi shook him awake did he finally come to.

"Has the panel started?" Yamaguchi groggily asked, rubbing his eyes.

"No," Yachi giggled as everyone around them stood to leave. "You slept through the whole thing," Yachi carried on, still laughing at Yamaguchi's sleepy expense. "You even missed when she mentioned the cooking contest and your amazing Malasada."

"What!," Yamaguchi gasped, hoping Yachi was just joking. "Did she really do that?"

"Yup," Yachi sweetly chirped. "And she even asked if you and the other contestants were here in the audience. I was going to keep quiet, but some guy sitting behind called out that you were sleeping."

"Oh Arceus, how embarrassing," Yamaguchi moaned into the top of his incubator.

"She even looked this way," Yachi swooned. "She looked at you more than at me but it was still amazing."

"Well, I'm happy something good came of it," Yamaguchi flatly replied.

With that, the two gathered their things and headed back to the Pokemon center. Yamaguchi was quite surprised to find Tsukki already back in their room when he arrived, who was laying across his bed reading from a book.

"Tsukki, what are you doing here?" Yamaguchi gasped upon entering the room.

"Ran into some idiots and headed back early," Tsukishima replied, placing his book down to sit up.

"Oh, I'm guessing you ran into Hinata and Kageyama then," Yamaguchi laughed, setting his items down beside his bed.

"How did you know?" Tsukishima replied in dry sarcasm.

"You have that 'good Arceus I'm about to kill someone' look right now," Yamaguchi said, laughing even more.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima mumbled, shooting his friend a warning glare that took little effect.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi giggled, regaining control of himself. "Here, I made some Malasada today. Try one," Yamaguchi offered in an attempt to make peace with his best friend.

Tsukishima looked surprised as he took one of the pastries from the box. "Why did you make Malasada?" Tsukishima asked examining the treat.

"Oh, it was for one of the panels we went to," Yamaguchi shyly began, still a little embarrassed by the whole ordeal. "I was picked to be part of a small baking contest."

"Really?" Tsukishima questioned. For a moment, Yamaguchi was sure he saw a flash of disappointment in Tsukki's eyes. "Did you win?"

"No, not by a long shot," Yamaguchi admitted, slumping down onto his bed. "They said my decoration skills were lacking quite a bit."

"Who cares about decoration?" Tsukishima dryly brushed off. "Taste is what matters."

"In showcases, you have to deliver in both taste and presentation," Yamaguchi sighed thoughtfully, leaning back on his hands to look at the ceiling.

"Showcase?" Tsukishima hummed, looking to his friend.

"Oh, yeah," Yamaguchi sputtered, his cheeks going pink. "This was kind of a taste of what it would be like to compete in a showcase's first round, I guess," he tried to explain.

Tsukishima looked long and hard at Yamaguchi. It was almost as if he were trying to decode something. His gaze was so sharp and assertive that Yamaguchi fidgeted several times. It always made him feel on edge when Tsukki examined him like this.

"Did you enjoy it?" Tsukishima finally asked in a very calm tone.

Yamaguchi paused, thinking hard about the question. Despite how nervous he was it had been the most fun Yamaguchi had ever experienced in any sort of composition. He had lost but he left feeling an odd sense of pride and a yearning to try it once more.

"Yeah, I did enjoy it," Yamaguchi quietly admitted, unable to hide his small smile.

Another silence hung in the room as Tsukishima gave a small hum of approval. This time the silence was more relaxing and inviting. It left Yamaguchi free to reflect on his day and to take in the events that had passed.

"This is amazing, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima's voice cut through the silence. Yamaguchi looked up to find his friend halfway through the malasada. "It tastes just like home," he carried on with a nostalgic air to his voice.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied in a whisper.

The late afternoon smoothly faded into night as the sounds of the festival could be heard wrapping up in the distance. Tsukki busied himself with his book once again. Yamaguchi was left to consider his future once more but this time he felt much more positive when doing so.

WOW! What a wild ride! I hope you all enjoyed the competition. Too bad out Yama couldn't have been the winner. He was up against some pretty strong opponents. But I think he is okay. I wonder what this is doing for him. He has a lot to consider!

As always chapter 15 should be up next weekend. I am very excited to post chapter 15. It's going to be a good one, believe me! Once again I am probably talking it up but I really loved writing chapter 15 so get excited.

I love to hear from my readers so if you have the time please let me know what you think of this fic so far with a comment/review. Also, thank you so much to everyone who has left me a comment thus far. It's always such a wonderful surprise to see a comment on this fic. When I get a comment notice mid day it always make me so excited to just rush home and work on the next chapter! I love all my readers so much so! I also want to thank all of you who leave me kudos, bookmarks, follows, just everything! You guys really are great.

Well, that is all for now so see you next chapter!


	15. The Mist From The Forest & The Glow Fro

Hey all! First of all I must wish our wonderful Yamaguchi a Happy Happy Birthday :D. This chapter really is a fitting chapter to be posted on Yamaguchi's Birthday. At lot will be evaluated and decisions will be made so I hope you enjoy chapter 15!

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Now, let's read chapter 15!

The Mist From The Forest

& The Glow From The Egg

It was the first cloudy day Yamaguchi and Tsukishima had encountered on their journey. When they had left the Pokemon center the day before, the weather forecast had predicted clear skies, but as Yamaguchi looked to the sky he had the sinking feeling it just might indeed have been wrong. He followed closely to Tsukki as they made there way down a path. It was much darker than normal due to the heavy cloud cover, and a cold breeze would pass by every now and then, reminding the two that spring had only just started and winter was not quite ready to fully let go of its reign.

"Tsukki, is there any sort of town or Pokemon Center within a days walk?" Yamaguchi asked, hoping that they would be able to find some sort of shelter from the possible rain.

"Not according to the map," Tsukishima flatly replied, not bothering to look at Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi gave a small hum of disappointment, holding his incubator close to his chest. Due to the cold morning, he hadn't been able to spend as much time caring for the egg in fear that the cold weather could cause harm to it. He wanted to find a warm, safe place for the day so as to make sure the egg was taken care of. He didn't even know if the incubator was resistant to water. This thought struck him with sudden terror.

"The incubator will be fine, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima cut in before the thought could go any further. "And stop worrying so much. It's annoying."

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed. He knew his worries were irrational but he couldn't help how he felt.

"We can pitch our tent early and make sure to use and secure the tarp," Tsukishima went on. "Even if it does rain, it probably won't rain that much."

"Yeah, maybe that's our best option," Yamaguchi signed once more, still wishing for a warm, safe place to care for his egg.

As Yamaguchi wandered down the path, shoulder to shoulder with Tsukki, he couldn't help but glance every now and then to the surrounding forest. It was much darker today, and he was unable to peer deep into it like he normally could. It was like the forest had been swallowed by darkness. Many times the wind would blow through the leave of the trees and bushed, causing Yamaguchi to jump out of his skin. Several times he swore he saw eyeshine in the depths of the darkness, following their every move. It caused a shiver to run down Yamaguchi's spine as he walked so close to Tsukki he bumped into him.

"What has got you so spooked!?" Tsukishima snapped upon the third time Yamaguchi bumped into him.

"There is something following us! I swear!" Yamaguchi stuttered.

Tsukishima stopped and peered into the woods. Squinting his eyes, he looked long and hard. "Well, all I see are bushes," Tsukishima replied with a shrug. "You're probably just seeing things, and if something is there it's probably just another fat Pidgey."

"P-P-Pidgey, right," Yamaguchi replied, giving a strained smile.

Tsukki was right. His mind was just getting the better of him. He was on edge about the rain, and it's only causing his mind to go haywire. Nothing is there, he told himself. Nothing is watching them. They are not being followed.

Just as those thoughts passed through Yamaguchi's mind, he made direct eye contact with a very dead looking face. Yamaguchi let loose a scream of terror and almost fell to the ground in an attempt to not drop his incubator. Shutting his eyes and crouching down low, he began to panic.

"There is something there! There's something there! There's something there! TSUKKI!" Yamaguchi hyperventilated, losing complete control of himself.

Tsukishima meanwhile had jumped aside from the sudden scream. He peered into the bushes once more, Salazzle's Pokeball in hand. He looked long and hard for whatever it was Yamaguchi had seen. After several seconds passed, he gave a deep sigh and looked to his shivering friend.

"I don't see anything," Tsukishima flatly signed, glaring down where Yamaguchi shook.

"No! No! I saw a face! There was a face," Yamaguchi blubbered, pointing to where he had seen whatever it was.

"No Yamaguchi, you probably just saw a tree or bush or something," Tsukishima sassed, his patience wearing thin.

"T-Tsukki!" Yamaguchi whined. He knew he'd seen something there, he just knew it.

"No, there is nothing," Tsukishima cut off before Yamaguchi could say any more. "Now let's get going before the rain comes."

Yamaguchi looked up to find Tsukki's back to him. It took him a long moment before he could find it in himself to stand, but even as he did so, he felt as if something was watching him. As Tsukishima made to carry on, Yamaguchi made sure to stay close beside him, their arms almost touching as they walked. Tsukishima allowed for this, not wanting Yamaguchi to have another fright episode. As they went, Yamaguchi looked ahead, not looking once to the forest. All the while, he still felt something following their every move.

It was mid-afternoon when the two pulled over to set up camp, and the sky was even cloudier and the air just as cool. It took the two a good hours to set up their tent with its waterproof tarp, as well as a large tarp for them to cook and eat under. By the time they were both done setting up the camp, they were both starving.

As they ate their lunch they both allowed their Pokemon out to roam before the rain came. Since leaving the forest path, Yamaguchi didn't feel the odd presence of something watching them. Perhaps it had just been his paranoia getting the better of him in the dark woods. He did well to shake it from his mind as he fished his egg out of the incubator for some more one on one time.

Despite the cool air, the egg was quite warm. Yamaguchi did well to wrap it in a soft, light green blanket he had purchased at the festival. Holding the egg close to his chest, he allowed himself to relax. Salazzle curled herself around him from behind, using her natural body heat to help keep the egg and himself warm. Yamaguchi leaned into the lizard as his mind began to wander.

"I've decided that we should head back to Lumiose City for the next gym battle," Tsukishima said, his voice cutting through the calm air like a knife.

"What? But I thought we were going to Cyllage City next?" Yamaguchi hummed, surprised Tsukishima was bringing this up so suddenly.

"I've just read that the Lumiose City gym has been reopened, and I want to battle it first," Tsukishima bluntly replied as he held up his tablet to show a forum he had been reading through.

"But, Tsukki, that in the other direction, isn't it?" Yamaguchi asked, not quite sure where they actually were himself.

"Lumiose City is closer," Tsukishima said, flashing the map on his tablet at Yamaguchi. He pointed to where they were and where the other two cities were.

Indeed, Lumiose City was much closer to where they were. That being said, Yamaguchi found himself wondering why they had been traveling aimlessly. If they'd gone back to Lumiose City right after the gym battle at Santalune City, they would have made it there by now.

"Um, Tsukki, where have we been traveling to this whole time?" Yamaguchi dared to ask, unsure how Tsukki would react to his question.

"I thought we could use some time to train and sort out our thoughts before the next gym battle," Tsukishima replied, his tone even and calm.

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi mumbled. It slowly dawned on him he had not trained once since the Santalune Gym fiasco.

"Will you try the Lumiose Gym?" Tsukishima asked, his voice much quieter than normal.

Yamaguchi did not reply. He wanted to, but his voice betrayed him. If he was being honest with himself, he did not want to try any gyms ever again. He dared not look at Tsukki as this ran through his mind. His eyes were fixed on his beloved egg.

"I'm going to go gather some water before the rain starts," Tsukishima stated, getting up and leaving the protection of the tent.

Yamaguchi gave a small hum but said no more. He didn't even look up when Tsukki made to leave. His mind became jumbled and everything around him became nothing but white noise. Even though he could see, his eyes didn't really focus on anything. He was too deep into thought to notice anything around him.

Yamaguchi knew the league was not for him. He knew it just as much as he knew the time of day or Tsukki's favorite treat. The past few days had proven to him that he was much more suited for showcases. There was no battling, and he was fascinated by the creativity of it. Any time he felt like mentioning this to Tsukki, though, his mind would go dark.

Yamaguchi was afraid. He wasn't afraid of the idea of performing in front of a crowd, nor was he worried about being given a task he knew nothing about. He was afraid of failure. What if showcases were just the same as the league? What if he couldn't do it? His stomach turned at the idea of giving up the league for showcases only to fail at that too.

He hadn't been able to prove a single thing so far on this journey. He caught Swirlix by pure luck. He lost terribly in his first gym battle. Actually, he hadn't won a single battle ever. And he had only proven that he was indeed a baker's son. Of course he did well in the baking competition. He had been baking since he was 7 years old. Yamaguchi thought himself pathetic, but not that pathetic.

Several times he wanted so badly to say he was going to try for showcase but found himself drowning in his own self-doubt. He didn't want to disappoint anyone. He didn't want to make promises he could not keep. His insides felt as if they were being torn to shreds. He wanted to try showcases so badly but couldn't get past his many failures.

Releasing a small moan, Yamaguchi held his egg close. Stressing over this was not doing his egg any favors. He had to focus on one thing at a time. Sensing Yamaguchi's stress, Salazzle shifted beside him in worry.

"I'm all right," Yamaguchi reassured, his voice cracking with emotion as he did so.

Salazzle released a low, caring hiss, her tongue lapping at the side of his arm.

Popplio came up on the other side of Yamaguchi, snuggling close. Yamaguchi allowed her under his arm too. Swirlix made herself comfortable upon his shoulder, winding herself around the back of his neck. He could not help but smiled as he allowed the three Pokemon to snuggle close.

"What would I do without you guys," Yamaguchi choked, savoring the care he was being given by the three.

It was at that moment that something very odd happened. A sudden very bright light flashed from the egg, causing Yamaguchi to release a partial gasp partial shout. Popplio and Salazzle backed away every so slightly as Swirlix tumbled from his neck. Yamaguchi held the egg out to get a look at it. Once more it glowed brightly. Yamaguchi knew very well what this meant.

"It's going to hatch soon," Yamaguchi gasped, unsure what to do next.

Popplio, Swirlix, and Salazzle all made sounds of surprised joy. Popplio blew a few excited bubbles while Salazzle and Swirlix came up close once more to Yamaguchi to get a look at the egg. Yamaguchi felt a swell of warmth bloom in his chest as he once more held the egg close.

"Don't worry. We'll protect you, so come out soon," Yamaguchi tenderly whispered to the egg.

It could take between 4 to 48 hours for an egg to hatch once it began to glow. Yamaguchi remembered reading that depending on the inhabitants of the egg it can take longer or shorter. At the moment, Yamaguchi hadn't a clue who was within the egg so didn't know when it was due to hatch.

Tsukki had returned soon after and did well to help Yamaguchi prepare the egg for the next few hours. Once an egg began to glow it was to be kept out of an incubator and in a warm place. It was best to have it monitored until it hatched, so Popplio and Salazzle took babysitting duty while Yamaguchi and Tsukishima bustled about the camp in preparation.

"It's already raining. I'm concerned it's going to get too cold," Yamaguchi worried as he and Tsukishima finished up there dinner.

"Once we are all in the tent it will be warm enough for the egg. Salazzle will sleep next to you to make sure of that," Tsukishima once again calmly reassured.

Yamaguchi hummed anxiously but didn't say much more. His mind was once more jumbled with all sorts of thoughts. What if something went wrong. What if the egg got too cold. What if the Pokemon hatching from it was a fire type and became sick from the rain. Every possible problem shot through his mind. The atmosphere became thick with his worry.

"It's going to be fine, so stop worrying," Tsukishima snapped.

The two trainers had decided to call it an early night. The rain was pouring steadily and as Yamaguchi followed Tsukishima into their tent he could not help but feel as if once more he were being watched. He looked over his shoulder gazing out into the wet darkness and saw nothing. He shook it off to be nothing more than stress from the day getting to him. With a shake of his head, he closed the zipper and settled in for the night.

With the egg held close to his chest, Yamaguchi fell into a deep sleep almost instantly. His dreams were odd and full of bright blinding colors. He dreamt that whatever had been following them had snuck into the camp and stole away all their supplies. When he chased after it he found only Futakuchi, who told Yamaguchi to give it up, he was not cut out to be a showcase contestant. Yamaguchi felt tears spill from his eyes as egg his hatched into an Aerodactyl and ate Futakuchi. It then turned on Yamaguchi and went after him.

Drenched in sweat, Yamaguchi woke in the middle of the night. The egg was still secure in the blanket despite him rolling in his sleep. Rain pounded upon the tarp and for a moment Yamaguchi worried about flooding. Sitting up Yamaguchi looked around the tent. The inside was dry as can be and he reminded himself not to worry about things that wouldn't happen. He held the glowing egg close once more, hoping to Arceus that it was not going to hatch into some sort of monster.

Yamaguchi took a few deep breaths, willing himself to calm down. The breathing worked wonders and once again drowsiness overtook him. He snuggled back into his sleeping bag as the egg glowed in his arms. As his eyelids become heavy once more as he swore he heard something brush up against the side of the tent.

"Just, the wind," Yamaguchi mumbled to himself, not allowing his mind to think otherwise. He then drifted into dark dreamless sleep.

It was sprinkling when Yamaguchi and Tsukishima awoke early the next morning. There was a cool dampness in the air that set Yamaguchi on edge. He made sure to keep the egg tucked within his jacket as he went about his morning. Yamaguchi felt very much like a Kangaskhan as he carried the egg down his shirt. Despite how awkward it made his movements he was not going to allow the egg to become even remotely cold.

The two trainers had decided that they were going to stay put in camp until the egg had hatched. Wandering out into the rain while the egg glowed every few minutes was something Yamaguchi's refused to do. Tsukishima did not mind staying another night if it meant Yamaguchi would calm down.

"The weather forecast says it will clear up by this afternoon," Tsukishima hummed as he fiddled with his tablet.

"Good, good," Yamaguchi replied as he gathered their Pokemon's empty food dishes.

It was when Yamaguchi picked up the last dish that something very odd happened. The whole of the campground began to fill with a black haze. Yamaguchi stood up as both himself and the camp became swallowed by the darkness.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi called as he looked to where Tsukki had been sitting only to see the dark haze. He could hear the sound of their Pokemon cry in distress. He looked down to see Popplio bump into his leg. She looked up to Yamaguchi is worry.

"Yamaguchi, don't move!" Yamaguchi heard Tsukki call from somewhere close by.

"What's going on!" Yamaguchi asked, wrapping a protective arm around the middle of his stomach where his egg sat snug. He could not see an inch past his nose. Worry began to fill his body.

"I'm pretty sure this is a Pokemon move of some sort," Tsukishima replied with a frustrated grumble. "We must have upset something in the forest."

"What should we- Ack!" Yamaguchi shouted as he felt something very hard ram him from behind square in the back. Yamaguchi fell hard to the floor on his side, making sure not to land on the egg. In his efforts to keep the egg from taking the fall it had somehow slipped from his jacket to the floor.

"Yamaguchi?!" Yamaguchi could hear Tsukishima ask in worry.

Yamaguchi immediately sat up upon realizing his egg was gone. "No! Where is it!" Yamaguchi shouted in pure panic. From beside him, Popplio released a loud and alarmed bark. Yamaguchi turned to see if she had seen the egg, and what he saw caused him to scream once more.

A face was staring right back at him. Just a face floating in the air. It took a moment for Yamaguchi to realize it as not a face but a mask. Behind the mast were the glowing red eyes of a Yamask. It only took Yamaguchi a moment to realize it wasn't just holding a mask but also his glowing egg.

"Yamaguchi!?" Tsukishima called once more. Yamaguchi heard a scuffle of feet, but his attention was still on the ghost Pokemon in front of him.

Yamaguchi's eyes shot to the egg as it glowed in the Pokemon's arms. "Please, give it back," Yamaguchi tried, hoping a calm approach would work better than an aggressive one.

The Yamask didn't seem at all interested in returning the egg. He held it in his arms, his red eyes studying it with much interest. Every time it glowed the Yamask would release a very thoughtful hum.

"Yamaguchi! Answer me!" Tsukishima shouted from nearby.

The student shout seemed to startle the Yamask. It looked from Yamaguchi than to Popplio. Yamaguchi knew at that moment that it was going to run.

"No! Don't go!" Yamaguchi pleaded as the Yamask turned and took off with his egg. "Come back!" he cried, taking no time in following after the ghost type.

"Yamaguchi! What is going on?" Tsukishima called from within the mist.

"It has the egg," Yamaguchi shouted but didn't bother to stop running after Yamask. If Tsukishima said anything more, he didn't hear it for his focus was on nothing more than the egg.

As Yamaguchi chased after the Pokemon in the dark mist, following the glow of the egg, he felt rain upon his head. He didn't think twice about it as he focused all his senses on the egg. Yamaguchi knew he was the biggest mess up in the world but he was not going to allow the egg to come to any harm, even if it killed him.

As he followed after the Pokemon, the mist gradually let up until it was gone completely. Yamaguchi looked back for only a moment to see that their camp had indeed been swallowed by the mist. For a moment he thought of Tsukki who was still within the mist, but turned a moment later to focus back on the egg. Tsukki would be fine, and he could not allow this Pokemon to get away with his egg.

Yamaguchi followed the Yamask into the thick woods, adrenaline pumping through his body and allowing him to weave through the trees after the ghost Pokemon. As the woods became thicker, the chase became harder. In a moment, Yamaguchi's foot caught on a branch and he went down hard.

With his face coated with mud, Yamaguchi stumbled to his feet. He frantically looked around for Yamask and his egg but they were gone. His mind screamed 'No! No! No!' as tears clouded his vision. This couldn't be happening. How could he have let his happen? He choked out a sob as he became drenched in rain.

Yamaguchi felt something push against the side of his leg and found Popplio looking up at him. He bent down to pick her up. As he did so Swirlix came up from behind, perched herself on his shoulder and Yamaguchi snuggling close to her. He hadn't a clue they had both followed after him.

"I fucked up again," Yamaguchi sobbed into Popplio. He had let the Yamask get away with the egg. After all the care he had taken in the end it had been for nothing. This was how everything always turned out for him.

Popplio gave a small whimper and Swirlix nuzzled close to Yamaguchi. Swirlix's wet nose brushed against Yamaguchi's ear. She gave a small sniff and with it, an idea came to Yamaguchi. He had been cuddling with the egg all last night and morning. It was bound to be covered in his scent.

"Swirlix," Yamaguchi said, his tone shaking with nerves. "Can you smell it? Can you smell the egg? It should have my scent."

Swirlix looked to Yamaguchi in confusion for only a moment before taking a big whiff of him. She then closed her eyes and sniffed the wet rainy air. Yamaguchi worried that the rain would hinder her tracking, but he knew she had the best sniffer of any Pokemon. A long silence filled the woods as Swirlix sniffed and sniffed before she faced a certain direction.

"Did you catch its scent?" Yamaguchi asked in an urgent whisper.

Swirlix gave a nod and a cry as she leaped from Yamaguchi's shoulder and made in the direction. Yamaguchi wasted little time following her. With Popplio held tight in his arms, he rushed after Swirlix. They didn't have to go far before they came across a very small clearing. Yamaguchi, Popplio, and Swirlix hunkered down behind a bush to examine the situation at hand.

Yamaguchi looked into the clearing to see that the Yamask had placed the egg in a pile of other nicknacks and trinkets he must have made off with. Yamask danced merrily around the pile of treasure. Yamaguchi didn't know if this was a normal behavior of a Yamask or not but he swore at that moment he was not going to fail his beloved egg.

Not wasting any time he emerged from the bush into the clearing. He took a deep breath and released all his negative emotions. He had to stay focused. He could not let his worries hinder him now.

"Yamask, I am going to ask once more, give me back my egg," Yamaguchi demanded, his tone firmer than it had ever been before. Popplio and Swirlix flanked either side of Yamaguchi, both ready to defend their unhatched sibling. All the while, the egg glowed brightly.

Yamask turned to look at the three. He sent them a glare as he took a protective stance in front of the stash. He released a small growl showing he was not going to give in so easily.

"I don't want to fight you. I just want my egg back," Yamaguchi tried, staying surprisingly calm. Popplio released a bark to show they meant business otherwise.

Yamask was not impressed. It lashed out towards the three, sending a very aggressive Night Shade at them all. They took the hit head-on, and Yamaguchi gave a pained shout as he stumbled and tried not to fall down. Taking a direct attack was not something he was ever accustomed to, but he would do it for his egg.

"Popplio, water gun!" Yamaguchi grunted as he shook off the pain.

Popplio jumped into action. She sent a strong swift blast of water at the Yamask. The rain powering her water type move. The hit was direct and the Yamask fell back. In one motion, the Yamask released a haze from its body that resembled the haze that had swallowed the camp.

"Fairy Wind, Swirlix! Don't let that haze cloud our vision!" Yamaguchi shouted, his mind working faster than ever.

Swirlix jumped into action and sent the haze away with her wind. Yamask seemed shocked for only a moment before it reoriented itself. It gave a growl before sending another Night Shade towards Popplio and Swirlix. The hit was direct, but he two Pokemon did not relent.

Yamaguchi's mind raced. If he got Yamask away from the pile, perhaps he could get to the egg. Thinking quickly, he shouted his next command to Swirlix.

"Fairy Wind again, Swirlix. Blow him away from the egg!" Yamaguchi shouted, readying himself to make a run for it the second there was an opening.

Swirlix did as she was told and sent the fairy wind at the ghost type Pokemon. It worked, and Yamask was brushed to the side. Yamaguchi's heart pounded with joy to see it had worked.

"Again, Swirlix!" Yamaguchi yelled and Swirlix once more blew Yamask further away from the pile.

Yamask retaliated with a flash of bright light that Yamaguchi recognized as Disable. It was a direct hit, and when Swirlix tried to use fairy wind once more she was unable to do so. She gave a small whimper, looking to her master in worry.

"Crap!" Yamaguchi cursed. He gave a nod to Swirlix to show she had done well. Yamask was still too close, and they needed to push him back more. "Water Gun! Popplio! Knock him away as far as you can!"

Popplio gave a determined bark. She hunkered down as if she were revving up the attack. It was almost as if she were soaking up the rain within her body as it fell. She cried loudly as she released the water but to Yamaguchi's surprise, it wasn't Water Gun she used but another attack. With her body surrounded by water, she charged the Yamask, who gave a muffled cry as it flew high into the sky and landed somewhere deep in the woods.

Yamaguchi didn't waste any time in rushing forward to his beloved egg. He scooped it up. It was still warm but not as much as it had been. He whispered an "Oh thank Arceus" as he held it close. Popplio and Swirlix came up beside him. He turned to the two and held them close along with the egg. All three were drenched in rainwater as Yamaguchi held the hug.

"You two were amazing, just amazing," Yamaguchi whispered in so much pride and joy his voice shook. As he did so, the rain let up and the sun began to peak through the thick clouds.

Yamaguchi looked up to see a small rainbow peeking through the canopy of the trees. Popplio barked with utter joy upon seeing it as Swirlix gave Yamaguchi's cheek a wet sloppy lick. Yamaguchi could not help but laugh as happy tears streamed from his eyes. All his troubles from the day before seemed so silly to him now.

A sense of invincibility washed over him. With these two Pokemon by his side, he was surely able to do anything he set out to do. Why had he ever been worried?

As this passed Yamaguchi's mind the egg began to glow brightly. It glowed brighter than Yamaguchi had ever seen it glow before. Both Popplio and Swirlix stepped back to give the egg and Yamaguchi some room. Yamaguchi loosened his grip on the egg as he felt it form into a new shape in his arms. He looked down in wonder and joy as his egg began to hatch.

The glow morphed from an oval egg shape to a more elongated shape. Four legs sprang out the bottom as a long puffy tail grew out of its rear. Two long, floppy ears brushed against Yamaguchi's cheek. As the glow let up Yamaguchi found himself holding a very small, Eevee.

The Eevee stay cradled quietly in Yamaguchi's arms, and he felt his breath catch as he looked down to it. It was like no other Eevee he had ever seen before. Most Eevees were brown, but this Eevee was much lighter in color, almost a grayish tan. The small Eevee gave a little trill as it rolled in Yamaguchi's arms and opened its large eyes.

Eevee and Yamaguchi held eye contact for several long seconds. Yamaguchi felt all sorts of emotions rush through his body. The Eevee looked to him in pure innocence before it trilled happily once more. Yamaguchi took little time in hugging the small, tan Eevee close.

"Welcome to this world," Yamaguchi tenderly whispered, his voice holding nothing but love for the freshly hatched Pokemon.

Eevee trilled once more as it nuzzled Yamaguchi's cheek. It wiggled as if it were trying to get even closer to Yamaguchi, despite already being in his arms. Both Popplio and Swirlix sighed in amazement at their new sister.

Yamaguchi smiled at the two as he lower Eevee for them both to see. "Eevee these two are you're older sisters," He calmly cooed as he turned Eevee to face Popplio and Swirlix.

Both Popplio and Swirlix greeted Eevee with happy welcoming cries. Eevee looked at the two with a quiet confusion that quickly turned to fear. With a small yelp, she struggled out of Yamaguchi's grasp and burrowed down his shirt.

Yamaguchi fell back onto his bum as she did so. Swirlix and Popplio looked on, both alarmed by the reaction. Once down his shirt, Eevee pressed herself firmly against his chest as she shook. Yamaguchi wrapped his arms around her as he quietly hushed her.

"I guess she's a little shy," Yamaguchi quietly said to Swirlix and Popplio. "We'll have to give her some time." The two Pokemon nodded in understanding but both looked on in mild disappointment.

Still slightly shaken by what had just happened and overwhelmed with a whole storm of emotions all Yamaguchi could do at the moment was stay where he sat and hope to calm both himself and Eevee down. It didn't take long for Eevee's shaking to subside until she had stopped altogether. Popplio and Swirlix snuggled up on either side of Yamaguchi.

It wasn't long before Tsukishima and Salazzle came barreling through the woods into the clearing. The tall blond was soaked from head to toe and he had all sorts of leaves and twigs sticking out of his hair. Both he and Yamaguchi exchanged very surprised looks for several long moments before they both relaxed on realizing who the other was.

"Why did you run off like that?" Tsukishima almost scolded, worry heavy in his voice.

"It was a Yamask. It took off with the egg," Yamaguchi explained as he stood up and walked over to where Tsukki stood. All the while he cradled Eevee who was still down his shirt.

"The egg!?" Tsukishima gasped, looking around for said Pokemon egg. Salazzle made a b-line for the pile of nick nacks and searched feverishly.

"I already got it back," Yamaguchi laughed as he watched Salazzle dig through the random junk.

Tsukishima visibly relaxed upon seeing the bulge in Yamaguchi's shirt. The worry he was carrying in his brow all but vanished as he reverted to his normal stoic self. "What happened to the Yamask?" he asked cooly. His change in tone was so quick that Yamaguchi had to stifle a laugh.

"We took care of it," Yamaguchi replied, allowing his pride to show through clearly. Popplio and Swirlix followed suit. Both showing off how tough they felt in the moment.

"Oh, that's good," Tsukishima replied with an approving nod.

Yamaguchi smiled so wildly he felt as if his cheeks were going to rip from his face. "There is something else I need to tell you," Yamaguchi said with a cheeky grin.

Tsukishima lifted a curious eyebrow as Yamaguchi opened the top of his shirt and motioned for him to take a look. With his cheeks dusted ever so pink, Tsukishima looked down Yamaguchi's shirt to find a ball of light tan fur curled up snug against Yamaguchi's chest. "It hatched," Tsukishima hummed in surprise.

"Into an Eevee," Yamaguchi nodded. "I was wondering if that was what it was."

"An Eevee is normally brown in color," Tsukishima pointed out thoughtfully.

"This Eevee is tan for whatever reason," Yamaguchi replied, holding the now sleeping Eevee close to his chest once more.

"Is it possibly a shiny Eevee?" Tsukishima questioned.

"I don't know," Yamaguchi shrugged. He had never seen a shiny Pokemon before so he hasn't a clue what to look for to know. "Either way we should get back. She will need to eat. She only did just hatch," He carried on, caring more about Eeveels health that appearance.

"Right," Tsukishima nodded as if he had just been deep in thought. "Camp is this way," he said before turning and leading the group out of the woods. Recalling his two Pokemon, Yamaguchi followed after Tsukishima.

Neither talked as they headed back to the camp. Yamaguchi cradled Eevee gently as he did his best not to trip over any roots. Salazzle walked beside Yamaguchi, glancing at the bundle under his shirt every few steps. Tsukishima seemed tense for some reason, his shoulder stiff and refusing to make eye contact with Yamaguchi. It was only after they made it out of the woods did either of them talk.

"Are you okay, Tsukki?" Yamaguchi reluctantly asked.

Tsukishima did not reply. He stopped in his tracks as he looked anywhere but Yamaguchi. He looked as if he wanted to stay something but didn't know how. This was not terribly uncommon with Tsukishima. Half the stuff that ever came out if his mouth was rude and insulting. When Tsukishima ever had anything sensitive he cared to talk about he always seemed to take his time sorting out his thoughts.

Yamaguchi quietly looked up at Tsukki. He allowed his friend to think through his thoughts. Tsukki was normally so cool in stressful situations. Perhaps he was upset by something Yamaguchi had said. This thought caused Yamaguchi's heart to give an odd sort of beat.

Tsukishima looked from the partly cloudy sky to Yamaguchi. His amber eyes studied Yamaguchi like they often did, but he said nothing. Yamaguchi's cheeks went red under the stare and he unconsciously wiggled. Perhaps he should not have said anything.

"Next time," Tsukishima began, choosing his words carefully. "Don't run off on your own," as he spoke, his cheeks went pink. He then turned on his heels and walked briskly back to the camp.

Steam must have been pouring out of Yamaguchi's ears at how hot his face felt. He felt overwhelmed with a very guilty joy. Tsukki rarely ever spoke such caring words. Whenever Tsukki showed such pure concern for Yamaguchi it always set his heart aflutter. It took Yamaguchi a long moment before he was able to follow after Tsukki.

When back at camp, Yamaguchi had made himself busy with preparing a bottle for Eevee. He had recalled that newly hatched Pokemon like Eevee were to be bottle fed for the first few weeks after hatching. Eevee all the while refused to leave the safety of his shirt as he worked. Yamaguchi half hoped that once she got some food in her she would loosen up a bit.

With Eevee swaddled in the green blanket, Yamaguchi held her close and fed her from a bottle Shimada had given him. Shimada must have known for sure that the egg would hatch into an Eevee for all the items he gave Yamaguchi were perfect for caring for a hatchling Eevee.

Eevee sucked from the bottle and looked up to Yamaguchi with large adoring brown eyes. Yamaguchi looked back down at her finding the whole feeding to be very therapeutic and relaxing. His mind wandered to the days' events. Never had he ever battled like he did against that Yamask. He felt almost foolish for forgetting that he was not alone on this journey. He spent so much time thinking about what he was unable to do that he forget about his team. Popplio and Swirlix were both amazing. With them by his side, Yamaguchi had nothing to worry about and Eevee was proof of this.

"I've decided not to go up against Lumiose Gym," Yamaguchi announced as Eevee dozed off in his arms.

Tsukishima looked up from his book, mild surprise in his eyes from the sudden comment. "And what do you plan to do?" He asked.

"Showcases of course," Yamaguchi replied, a large smile gracing his face.

Tsukishima replied with a knowing smile of his own. "You'll do fine," he mumbled in agreement before turning back to his book.

A warmth once again spread through Yamaguchi. At the moment he felt like he could do anything in the world. He looked to Eevee who was now sound asleep in his arms. As he held her close he swore he would not give up and would do everything in his power to take his team to greatness.

Wow! An Eevee!? Who saw that coming!? I couldn't help myself, honestly. Yamaguchi needed an Eevee. Now the next question is who will Eevee evolve into? Umbreon, Sylveon or maybe even Vaporeon!? Who know, maybe Eevee won't even evolve! Cast your vote now, folks! And our dear Yama is finally ready for the Showcase! He is taking his first step towards his future! I am so proud of him! What does this spell for there travels now? There is only one way to find out so stay tuned!

As always I want to thank you all for your kind comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all. I so hope you are enjoying the story thus far so please so leave a comment or review and let me know. Also thanks to all of you who have left me kudos, book marks, follows and the sorts. It really lets me know that this fic is being touched and I'm not just talking to myself.

Once again I want to wish our dear Yamaguchi a happy happy birthday. My gift to him this year is the Shiny Eevee that just hatched in this chapter. I do hope he takes good care of it. Let's all give a round of applause to your favorite freckled pinch server. Happy Birthday Yamaguchi 3

Well, that's all I got for you this week, folks. See you next chapter.


	16. The Black Cat Stalks

Hey all! So we got ourselves chapter 16. With a newly hatched Eevee by his side and a goal in mind what new things will Yamaguchi see from here on out!

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Now, let's read chapter 16!

The Black Cat Stalks

"And she is a shiny Eevee?" Shimada gawked from the other end of the Pokemon Center's PC phone. His tone was very stilted and Yamaguchi had the sinking feeling Shimada knew this would have been the outcome.

Nonetheless, Yamaguchi could not help but smile like the brightest star as he cradled Eevee in his arms. The off-color Eevee looked to the PC in half curiosity and half uncertainty as Shimada's voice emitted from the speakers. The only thing keeping her from fleeing was the fact that Yamaguchi showed no fear of the off machine.

"Yup, it seems so," Yamaguchi cooed in reply, holding Eevee with much affection. "It was a total surprise to both Tsukki and I." Eevee looked up at Yamaguchi booping their noses together. She gave a small happy trill as they did so.

"Well, she looks quite healthy. I take it you have been reading the books I lent you on hatchling care?" Shimada beamed as he watched the two bond with one another.

"I've read them from front to back!" Yamaguchi confirmed with much confidence. "Some I read two to three times," he added in earnest, wanting to show how serious he took Eevee's care.

"I knew I left her in good hands," Shimada nodded. "Those books should tell you everything you need to know, but always feel free to reach out to me with any other questions you may have."

"I wouldn't want to be a bother…" Yamaguchi replied reluctantly. Shimada had already done so much for him but at the same time, he'd do anything for Eevee.

"It's not a bother at all," Shimada waved off. "In fact, it would be great for my research if you check in every once in a while with updates on Eevee," he insisted with a glint in his eye. "I'd love to know her temperament and how quickly she matures, there is also her ability to get along with other Pokemon, as well as her strength in battle and-" he began to ramble in excitement before catching sight of Yamaguchi's surprised confusion. "Oh, sorry, breeder talk."

"N-no, no. I don't mind," Yamaguchi sputtered as he tried to shake off his surprise. "You've already done so much for me."

"Well, it's good to pass on the torch to the next generation," Shimada said as he looked upon Yamaguchi and Eevee with pride. "I have faith that you will do a fine job in raising her."

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink at the compliment. It was nice to have such open support from someone. "Thank you," he replied in a shy almost whisper. A moment of silence hung between the older and younger trainer as Shimada smiled broadly at Yamaguchi's shy nature.

"Well, I better let you two go," Shimada sighed after the moment passed.

"I actually have one more thing I wanted to tell you," Yamaguchi spoke up, his tone a bit unsure. He glanced to the side, finding it hard to look directly into the screen at the now curious Shimada.

Shimada released a small "Oh?" before waiting quietly for Yamaguchi to elaborate.

Yamaguchi glanced up at the screen before looking to the side once more. He held Eevee closer as he tried to think of the words he wished to say. "It's about what you mentioned before... " He started slowly as he carefully chose each word. "I've thought about it, my future," He glanced to the PC screen once more to see Shimada's reaction.

"You have, have you?" Shimada hummed calmly, not wanting his excitement to spook the younger trainer.

"Yes," Yamaguchi said, his lips melting into a small smile. "I think I am going to give Pokemon Showcases a try," he finished, his smile now full bloom with a hint of his unique, awkward shyness.

"That's wonderful to hear," Shimada cheered, doing his best not to overwhelm Yamaguchi with his enthusiasm at the news. "I have full faith that you will thrive on the stage, Yamaguchi."

"Oh, um, thanks," Yamaguchi mumbled, unsure why Shimada would have so much faith in him. He fidgeted awkwardly for a moment as he tried to shake off his momentary confusion. "I'm really excited to give it a go," he added with a lot more earnestly.

"Have you picked where you are going to perform first?" Shimada asked, his tone still upbeat.

"No. I don't really… I'm not really sure how it works still," Yamaguchi admitted, deflating a bit.

"Oh, well that's not a problem," Shimada shrugged, doing his best to keep Yamaguchi from feeling down. "I can send you all the information you need to know about applying and where to research the various contests." 

"Really?" Yamaguchi perked up, though he did well to contain his relief. He really hadn't a clue how one researched where and when showcases took place. "But, I wouldn't want to burden you…"

"Nonsense," Shimada laughed. "It's not a burden and I've always wanted to try my hand at coaching," he insisted. "So feel free to reach out to me with anything you might need."

"That's very kind of you," Yamaguchi spoke quietly as he did his best to control the overwhelming gratitude he felt.

"I expect to hear from you once you have decided on your first Showcase," Shimada pressed, his smile confident.

"I-" Yamaguchi began before seeing the determined look on the older man's face. He didn't understand why Shimada was being so kind to him, but he found he could not pass up the offer. Shimada was experienced, and that alone enticed Yamaguchi to reach out for his guidance. "I guess I will be relying on you a bit more then," Yamaguchi replied with a small bow.

"That's what I wanted to hear," Shimada cheered with a smile. "Showcase performances aren't easy but I have faith in you, Yamaguchi Tadashi," he pressed once more.

"I… I won't disappoint you," Yamaguchi nodded, his eyes holding much more determination.

It wasn't long before the two bid their farewell. Yamaguchi promised with check in with Shimada once he decided where to perform first. Hanging up the PC phone and turning around, Yamaguchi was surprised to find Tsukki standing behind him, leaning against the wall. Tsukki looked very agitated as he stood far too close to Yamaguchi.

"Are you finally done?" Tsukki snapped far more harshly than normal.

"Sorry, Tsukki. I didn't realize how much time I was taking," Yamaguchi replied, his tone shaky and unsure. He looked at his best friend with a mixture of hurt and concern. He expected to see an angry set of amber eyes set on him, but instead found that Tsukishima was looking around the Pokecenter as if he expected someone to jump out at them.

"Whatever. Let's just get out of here," Tsukishima grumbled, motioning for Yamaguchi to hurry it up.

"R-right," Yamaguchi mumbled in confusion. He looked to his best friend in concern as Tsukki made for the exit. All the while, his amber eyes scanned the Pokecenter, which only caused Yamaguchi's concern to increase as he followed after his friend.

Since Eevee's hatching, the two had been traveling for a few days heading back to Lumiose City so that Tsukishima could take on the gym there. They had decided to take a slightly different route than what they had taken previously. The one they were on now was a more roundabout way but intercepted many more towns and Pokemon Centers for Eevee's sake. Surprisingly, Tsukki had insisted they go this way. He claimed he wanted to see new places, but Yamaguchi suspected that he too wanted to make sure Eevee was cared for properly.

As the two made their way to the next Pokecenter, Tsukishima's stride went from hasty and rushed to just slightly faster than normal. The whole while Yamaguchi could not help but worry over his friend's odd behavior. He cradled Eevee gently in his arms as his eyes drilled into the back of Tsukki's head. On most days Tsukki would have snapped at him for staring but today he didn't seem to notice even in the slightest.

"Tsukki, is everything okay?" Yamaguchi dared to ask after two hours into their journey.

"Yes, everything is fine, Yamaguchi. Why wouldn't it be?" Tsukishima snapped, not bothering to look back as he did so.

"Well, you just seem a little on edge is all…" Yamaguchi gently mumbled, not wanting to trigger his friend anymore.

"I'm not on edge," Tsukishima replied far too quickly. "I just want to get to the next Pokemon Center before dark," he added in a failed attempt at sounding stable.

"Tsukki, is something is wrong-" Yamaguchi began only to have Tsukki cut him off.

"I said nothing is wrong! So, drop it" Tsukishima snarled, stopping in his tracks and glaring back at his traveling companion.

"S-Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whimpered as he unconsciously flinched back. It had been several years since Yamaguchi had last been on the receiving end of an angry Tsukki. With his brow furrowed in concern, he held Eevee securely against his chest as he studied his best friend. Had his chat with Shimada really taken that long?

Upon seeing Yamaguchi's startled reaction, Tsukishima's tense anger all but melted. He looked almost ashamed and for a moment he wasn't able to look Yamaguchi in the eye. "No, you didn't do anything wrong," Tsukishima sighed, his shoulders releasing much tension as he did so. "I just had to get out of that Pokemon Center as soon as possible," he carried on, looking somewhere to the side as he spoke.

"Why?" Yamaguchi asked, now even more confused as before. "Did something happen while I was on the phone?"

"Well, it was more like last night," Tsukishima began as he seemed to struggle to explain himself. "While you were in the shower, this thing happened and…" he paused as he gave his head a small shake. The same kind of shake he often gave when thinking about Hinata and Kageyama.

"What?" Yamaguchi prompted, making sure not the be too demanding.

Tsukishima paused for a long moment as he seemed to be juggling his reply. "You know what, it doesn't matter. It was last night and shouldn't be a problem anymore," he sighed.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi whined with a pout. "What happened!"

"Let's just keep going," Tsukishima insisted as he turned on his heels and carried on down the road.

"Wait, Tsukki! No fair!" Yamaguchi shouted as he chased after his travel companion. How could he start telling him and then stop like that? Despite Yamaguchi's efforts, Tsukki refused to say any more for the rest of their travels that afternoon.

It wasn't long before the two trainers pulled over for their afternoon lunch. They found a small clearing off the beaten trail that shaded them just enough to protect them from the sun, but let enough light in to keep them both comfortably warm. Yamaguchi quickly whipped up their Pokemon's meals before he and Tsukishima started on some sandwiches he had made earlier that morning. All the while, Eevee looked on in curiosity from Yamaguchi's arms, watching the other Pokemon chow down on their meals.

Eevee was still far to new to eat solid food, and was equally too shy to interact with the other Pokemon, besides Salazzle who Eevee often treated like mommy number two. It was only last night that she was brave enough to peak out of Yamaguchi's shirt to say hello to Popplio and Swirlix. Fortunately for Yamaguchi, both of the older Pokemon did not seem terribly offended by Eevee's shy nature.

Once he finished up his lunch, Yamaguchi prepared a bottle for Eevee. Finding a small patch of sun to sit in, he allowed Eevee to burrow down into his jacket as he fed her, almost feeling like a Kangaskhan as he did so. Yamaguchi looked on affectionately as he Eevee went to down on her meal. Her small nose wiggled this way and that as she squeaked with pleasure.

"I'm going to go refill our bottles with fresh water from the stream," Tsukishima said as he scooped up their almost empty canteens. Tsukki was far more composed now, and almost back to his normal self.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi smiled, looking up at his friend. He watched as Tsukki and his three Pokemon disappeared into the woods.

Popplio and Swirlix made themselves comfortable on either side of Yamaguchi as he carried on feeding Eevee. The two snoozed in the afternoon sun and the whole clearing took on a very relaxed setting. Yamaguchi leaned heavily against the tree as he did his best to not fall asleep himself. Finished with the bottle, Eevee too began to fall into a blissful sleep. This was the sort of relaxing moment Yamaguchi lived for.

As he allowed himself to relax with his Pokemon, his mind wandered to Tsukki. He wondered what got Tsukki so upset earlier. Last night when he had come back from his turn in the shower Tsukki had already turned in for the night. He hadn't seemed too odd in the morning either. He had insisted on staying in the room while Yamaguchi made his call. Had he run into Hinata and Kageyama at some point? Was he really not upset with the amount of time Yamaguchi took talking with Shimada? It wasn't like Tsukki to hide his frustration with Yamaguchi. It was all just so odd.

"I found you, Glasses," came the singsong voice of a male from the other side of a rather large tree. "Run all you want, but a cat always finds its prey," it purred.

Yamaguchi shot up, doing his best not to rouse Eevee. Both Popplio and Swirlix looked in the direction of the voice in equally startled confusion. Yamaguchi hadn't a clue if he should reply or stay quiet. His eyes stayed fixed on the tree as he waited to see if the stranger would reveal himself.

The trees and bushes rustled this way and that a male trainer emerged from the woods into the clearing. He was a tall trainer whose black hair made it look as if he had only just rolled out of bed. His dark eyes were keen and almost mischievous as he scanned the clearing, and he had a cat-like smile upon his face. Releasing a deep, grumble like laugh, his eyes caught sight of Yamaguchi, who unintentionally flinched. The strangers smile slowly faded into a mix of confusion and disappointment.

"You're not Glasses," the stranger commented as he looked from Yamaguchi's freckled face to the bundle he held in his arms.

"No, I'm not!" Yamaguchi stated as a sense of maternal protectiveness set in. He held Eevee close. All the while, Popplio and Swirlix sat quietly on either side of Yamaguchi. Oddly enough, neither seemed too concerned about the new person coming despite his delinquent appearance.

The man studied Yamaguchi for a moment, picking up on his defensive behavior. "Sorry, freckles, I didn't mean to spook you or anything," he said, his tone good natured. He held his hands in the air to emphasize he meant no harm. He then regained his cat-like smile as he studied the bundle in Yamaguchi's arms.

"It's fine, I guess," Yamaguchi said as he eyed the stranger in suspicion. He was not yet sure if the trainer could be trusted.

The older trainer let loose a sheepish laugh at Yamaguchi's scrutiny. In two long strides, he plopped himself beside Yamaguchi, pushing Swirlix assigned in the process. Swirlix let loose an indignant squeak only to have the stranger help her regain her balance. "Name is Kuroo," the older trainer introduced, getting his face far too close to Yamaguchi's for comfort. "Kuroo Tetsuro," he finished with a large grin. By this point, his and Yamaguchi's noses were almost touching.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks grow pink as he noticed how horribly good looking Kuroo was now that he was up close. He leaned back up against the tree as he released a very stuttery "u-um, I-I'm," unable to find his wording.

"Ah, yes. My natural charm does often make people go speechless," Kuroo joked as his Cheshire smile grew. He then did Yamaguchi a favor and removed his face from Yamaguchi's. "Now, what could be the name of such a cutie like yourself," he prompted in what was probably meant to be a smooth tone but came across almost sinister.

"Yamaguchi Tadashi," Yamaguchi replied in an almost whisper.

"Cute name for a cute trainer," Kuroo winked.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink once more as he stared at Kuroo with his mouth agape. No one had ever called him cute this many times in a row beside his mother and grandmother. This reaction seemed to please Kuroo for he released a small snicker, his nose scrunching in the process.

"So, Yamaguchi, what's a cute trainer like yourself doing all alone in these woods?" Kuroo cooly asked in a way that tricked Yamaguchi into believing that this man was much more collected than he probably was.

"Stopped for lunch and a rest," Yamaguchi replied, unsure how much information he wanted to disclose to this stranger.

"It could be dangerous to wander around in the woods like this alone," Kuroo hummed with unclear intentions.

"I'm not alone," Yamaguchi pointed out. "I have Swirlix and Popplio with me."

"Oh, of course," Kuroo chuckled. "I suppose you aren't alone," he hummed as he gave Swirlix's head a soft and affectionate pat.

To Yamaguchi's horror, Swirlix didn't seem to be alarmed by this complete stranger petting her. She almost seemed to be enjoying it. His expression went from shock to betrayal when Popplio joined in on the action, standing patiently for Kuroo to pet her next.

"They're both quite friendly," Kuroo commented good naturedly as he greeted Popplio and she released a few welcoming bubbled as he did do.

Yamaguchi's Pokemon were indeed friendlier than the average Pokemon but never before had he seen them warm up to a stranger this quickly. He eyed Kuroo now in complete total suspicion. Who was this man and how was he able to get his Pokemon to warm up to him so fast?

"Hey, what's that look for?" Kuroo laughed, catching Yamaguchi in the act.

"Who are you?" Yamaguchi asked before he could stop himself.

"I already told you," Kuroo chuckled almost mockingly. "Names Kuroo and I'm-"

"I know, but why are you here, Kuroo?" Yamaguchi cut in, sounding ruder than he had meant to.

"Well, didn't expect you to be so demanding, freckles," Kuroo teased as he booped Yamaguchi on the nose.

Yamaguchi immediately flinched back as he shot Kuroo a look. "I told you my name is Yamaguchi, not Freckles," He insisted with a frown.

"But Freckles is much cuter of a name," Kuroo shot back cooly with another one of his Cheshire smiles. "Cute nickname for a cute trainer."

Yamaguchi's cheeks went red once more. He found himself struck speechless. He was unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of flirting, and didn't even know where to start in terms of replying. "Did you just come here to tease me?" Yamaguchi eventually asked only after regaining a bit of his composure.

"Oh, no," Kuroo laughed, throwing his head back. "You're just an added bonus."

Yamaguchi cocked an eyebrow as Kuroo sent him another sly smile. For as intimidating at this Kuroo looked, Yamaguchi didn't feel the need to flee like he normally would in a situation like this. Something about this Kuroo character seemed safe.

"I was looking for a friend of mine," Kuroo began to explain.

"A friend?" Yamaguchi questioned with a tilt of his head. "Did you and your travel companion get separated?"

"Sort of," Kuroo hummed with a suspicious smile. "Well, he was actually someone I only just met yesterday."

"Oh?" Yamaguchi said, scrunching his face up in utter confusion as to what Kuroo was getting at.

"He and I were going to have a battle but he just ran off," Kuroo gasped indignantly. "Can you believe that?"

"That sounds just horrible," Yamaguchi strained a reply, unable to relate to Kuroo's plight whatsoever. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" He found himself helplessly asking.

"Well, the trainer I am looking for is quite tall with blond-" Kuroo began to explain before being very suddenly cut off.

"How the fuck did you find us!?" Tsukishima growled as he entered the clearing. His amber eyes were filled with a mixture of frustration and annoyance as he looked to Kuroo.

"Glasses, I found you!" Kuroo sarcastically cheered as he stood up from where he sat.

"No!" Tsushima quickly replied.

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi asked in uncertainty. He was shocked to see Tsukki's anger from before had suddenly returned upon seeing Kuroo. Yamaguchi had no clue what was going on.

"Aww, that's no way to act, Tsukki," Kuroo purred as he spoke Tsukishima's nickname mockingly.

"Do not call me that," Tsukishima growled in a way that even set a shiver down Popplio's back.

"But I just want one small battle with you," Kuroo frowned dramatically as he sauntered away from Yamaguchi to where Tsukki stood.

"No!" Tsukishima quickly snapped. "Yamaguchi, get up! We are leaving. Now!"

Yamaguchi stood up on command. He was far too lost and confused to do much more than was Tsukishima demanded. Even Popplio and Swirlix looked on in utter confusion at the dramatic scene.

"I'm just going to follow you, you know," Kuroo cooly pointed out. His smile only grew at Tsukishima's annoyance.

"I told you last night that I have no interest in battling you," Tsukishima warned.

Yamaguchi could do nothing more than look between the two in worry.

OMG it was Kuroo! Following out two boys. Stalking grumpy old Tsukki! I wonder, will Tsukki battle with Kuroo!? What is Kuroo going to do!? Oh my! There is only one way to find out and that is to stay tuned, folks!

Hey all, so next week is a holiday in the US and I will be traveling but I will do my best to post a chapter while I do so. I'm super sorry if I am unable to. It really all just depends on traveling and my ability to access the interwebs :P

So last weekend we celebrated Yamaguchi's birthday and this weekend LETS GO EEVEE AND PIKACHU was released! HURRAY. I got let's go Eevee! It's been so much fun playing it. Honestly, I had to peel myself away from my switch to get this up. So, who else got the game? Let me know if you got Eevee or Pikachu. Also, who is on your team?

As always, thank you all so much for the reviews and likes and the works. I just love to hear from you all so don't hesitate to leave a review/comment. Also thank you to everyone who has left me a Kudos, followed/bookmarked the story and also to those of you who have favorited it. It really lets me know that people are still interested.

I don't have too much more to say. I am itching to get back to my switch and win my next badge!

See you all next chapter!

Reply to reviews:

SillyEmber: Thank you so much for leaving a review. It really brought a smile to my face when I read what you left. I try my best to keep everyone in character while also weaving them into the Pokemon universe. I'm not too bothered if someone is a bit OOC but I worry if someone is very OOC. It's trivial really but I am so happy that it's gone beyond your expectations.

I wonder what Eevee will evolve into? (I know actually)! I have this whole story planed out but I do like to hear people speculations and what they would do. I can't say much more in terms of who Eevee will evolve into. Don't want to spoil it for anyone!

Once again, thank you for the review!


	17. The Black Cat Talks

Hey all! So sorry for the upload skip over the US holiday. I was not able to get on line to upload but here I am now. Let's see what sort of chaos Kuroo is going to bring to the table!

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Without further ado, Chapter 17.

The Black Cat Talks

Yamaguchi did not mind the company of Kuroo. Tsukki seemed to loathe the cunning older trainer, but Yamaguchi found him to be quite nice. Kuroo had taken to following Tsukishima and Yamaguchi for the past day and a half. At first, he only trailed behind them, making a comment every now and then about how badly he wanted to battle against Tsukki and his Salazzle.

"Oh come on, Tsukki," Kuroo would whine from behind the two. "It's just one battle."

"I told you to get lost, you annoying cat!" Tsukki would snap in reply.

Yamaguchi was left to just watch on as the process repeated itself. Kuroo would ask for a one on one battle with Tsukki and his Salazzle, and Tsukki would tell him to get lost. Yamaguchi hadn't a clue why Tsukki was so opposed to this battle. Had something happened that night at the Pokemon Center? Kuroo, though quite cheeky, seemed like a nice enough guy. He wasn't nearly as loud nor stupid as Hinata or Kageyama.

"Tsukki, why are you so against battling Kuroo?" Yamaguchi had dared to ask as they began to pitch their tent for the evening.

"I hate it when people don't listen-" But Tsukki didn't finish for his voice caught in his throat as he looked upon something unsavory.

Yamaguchi followed his eyes to where Kuroo stood crouched over his own bag. He looked to be settling into the same camp spot as he and Tsukki. Tsukki's cheeks blushed an angry pink as he frowned deeply.

"Hey, who said you could camp with us!" Tsukki warned as he stood at his full height.

Kuroo did not seem in the least bit surprised by Tsukki's behavior. "Sorry, didn't know this forest belonged to you two," Kuroo mockingly replied. "You're okay with me staying here, right Freckles?" he asked sending Yamaguchi a wink.

Before Yamaguchi could so much as reply, Tsukki stood in front of him. He looked up to find Tsukki fuming. He didn't shake with anger, but his frown was stone cold and his eyes were sharp enough to cut through steel. Even Yamaguchi felt a wave of awkward discomfort wash over him.

"Maybe you should just take a hint," Tsukishima replied with scathing sass. He stood tall as he did so but, despite his efforts none of his tactics seem to be having any effect on Kuroo.

"What, is Freckles not allowed to speak for himself?" Kuroo foolishly asked. "Or do you make all the calls in this relationship?"

Yamaguchi's stomach dropped at the comment. He glanced over to see Tsukishima's back go rigid. He knew Kuroo had made the wrong move by saying that, and that he needed to do some quick thinking to calm Tsukki down.

Yamaguchi could not help but send Kuroo a sorry look. He probably shouldn't have dragged Yamaguchi into this argument in the first place. Yamaguchi knew Kuroo meant no harm by his comments, but Tsukki obviously did not care whether it was a genuine question or just a joke.

Kuroo backed up the second he saw Tsukishima's back go stiff. His teasing edge melted to be more genuine for even without words he knew he had made a mistake. "Sorry, I didn't mean-" He began carefully.

"How dare you-" Tsukishima cut him off with a growl like a Mightyena. He took one long step as he did so but was cut short when Yamaguchi laid a hand on his arm.

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi quietly whispered. He looked to his friend asking him, without words, to calm down. He knew Kuroo meant no harm. Tsukki took a sharp breath as his and Yamaguchi's eyes met. Yamaguchi didn't have to say anything more to talk his friend down.

"Fine! But he isn't sleeping with us!" Tsukishima huffed, with it much of his tension left his shoulders. He still wore a deep frown but his anger subsided quite a bit.

Kuroo released a very interested hum as he watched the two friends interact.

The sharpness in Tsukishima's eyes returned as he looked to Kuroo. "And I am still not going to battle you!" He snapped before turning on his heel and heading into the woods. "I'll gather fire wood!" He stated, not bothering to look back at Yamaguchi or Kuroo.

Kuroo didn't hesitate to help Yamaguchi finish setting up their camp. Yamaguchi quite liked Kuroo's company. Despite the older trainer's dark and cool look, he was actually quite a goofy guy. Even Eevee, who still shied away from Tsukki, Popplio, and Swirlix, had warmed up quickly to him. She didn't dare wander into Kuroo's kap but did allow the older trainer to pet her head.

"You must be some sort of Pokemon whisperer," Yamaguchi gasped in amazement as Kuroo successfully stoked Eevee behind the ears. "Eevee is normally so shy with others."

"Well, I do have the magic touch," Kuroo smiled in such a cool way that Yamaguchi had to look to the side really fast.

The two now sat against a tree as they allowed themselves a moment's rest. Yamaguchi had busied himself writing in a notebook while Kuroo flipped through his tablet. Every now and then Kuroo would stifle a laugh or shake his head as he smiled at the tablet. Eevee sat comfortably down Yamaguchi's jacket once more while Popplio tousled about the camp with Kuroo's Pancham, whom he had only just caught the day before meeting Tsukki and Swirlix snoozed happily upon their half unpacked bags.

"I didn't mean to get him so upset," Kuroo sighed.

Yamaguchi looked up to see Kuroo gazing at the spot where Tsukki had exited the clearing. "Oh, he'll be okay," Yamaguchi insisted. He wasn't unfamiliar with playing clean up after Tsukki had acted rudely towards someone else.

Kuroo turned and looked long and hard at Yamaguchi. His dark sharp eyes looked as if he were trying to solve a puzzled. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated.

Yamaguchi unintentionally shrunk back a bit. He looked to Kuroo waiting for him to speak his mind. As he did so he felt a wave of awkwardness wash over the campsite.

"So, I take it you two have been friends for a while?" Kuroo finally decided to ask. He seemed unsatisfied with his own question.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Yamaguchi replied with a confused edge to his voice.

"Tsukishima doesn't seem the type to allow new people to just hang around him," Kuroo replied with a shrug. "With how he has been treating me and all…"

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi began with a small pause to think. "He is just cautious of people, I guess," he tried to explain but felt as if he had failed. "It just takes him a while to warm up to others," he weakly settled on. He felt odd talking about Tsukki like this without him around.

"How long did it take after meeting each other for him to let you to follow him around like this without putting up a fuss?" Kuroo joked with a chuckle.

"Follow him around?" Yamaguchi asked, question mark almost visibly emerging from out his ears.

"Like, when did he stop trying to shake you off his tail like he's doing with me," Kuroo clarified, this time slightly more serious.

"I don't really…" Yamaguchi started, a bit flustered upon realizing what Kuroo was getting at. "In all honesty, I'm usually the one dragging Tsukki around," he quietly admitted. He looked down to where Eevee lay asleep in his arms, not daring to look Kuroo's way.

"What?" Kuroo almost laughed but wisely stopped himself.

"I don't very much like doing things on my own," Yamaguchi expanded upon his explanation. "So whenever I wanted to do something I'd one way or another always get Tsukki to do it with me," he shrugged as he dared to look up at Kuroo.

Kuroo didn't look like he believed Yamaguchi in the least. "I don't believe it," Kuroo replied as he eyed Yamaguchi in pure suspicion. "Glasses is the most stubborn trainer I've ever met. No way he'd just follow your every whim."

"Yeah, Tsukki is pretty stubborn," Yamaguchi admitted as he stifled a chuckle. "I always had to coax him into doing stuff with me. He always put up some sort of fuss any time I brought up doing a thing," Yamaguchi reminisce, his eyes back on Eevee as he played with her soft fur. "Even this journey we are on now, it took me almost two months to get him to agree to come to Kalos with me."

"You don't say?" Kuroo hummed as his cat-like smile returned.

"Yeah, I asked him about it every day," Yamaguchi sighed at the not so far off memory. "I bugged him so much he even stopped talking to me for a few days. He was just so stubborn, and I was so mad at him," Yamaguchi smiled at the memory. "I went to his house every day and one day, on my way home from trying to coax him, I fell and sprained my ankle," he laughed at his own clumsiness. "The next time I saw him he asked me when we planned on leaving for Kalos," Yamaguchi sighed with nostalgia.

"I wonder what changed his mind?" Kuroo asked with a sarcastic edge.

"I have no clue," Yamaguchi genuinely replied. "I don't know what changed his mind but I am happy he decided to come along," he insisted as he looked at Kuroo again. He was surprised to find Kuroo smiling.

"I think I know what changed his mind," Kuroo said with a cheshire smile.

"You do?" Yamaguchi asked with a confused shake of his head. "What? How do you know?"

"It's a secret," Kuroo playfully replied. "You have to figure it out yourself," he said as he playfully bumped his shoulder with Yamaguchi's.

"No, tell me!" Yamaguchi whined as his cheeks went red.

"Looks like Tsukki isn't the only stubborn one," Kuroo replied as he leaned away from Yamaguchi who had tried to nudge him back.

"I don't know why I was being so nice to you," Yamaguchi pouted as his cheeks puffed out like a Jigglypuff.

Kuroo laughed as he ruffled Yamaguchi's messy brown hair. "Oh lighten up. It's better for you to figure these things out on your own anyway," Kuroo said, sounding like a father talking to his son.

"Gee, thanks," Yamaguchi pouted, refusing to look Kuroo's way.

"Aww come on. How could anyone hate Uncle Kuroo?" Kuroo prompted playfully. He nudged Yamaguchi once more as he sent the boy a very goofy smile. Yamaguchi, weak to such tactics, ended up smiling himself. Soon both were laughing quite openly.

"You really are something else," Yamaguchi laughed, doing his best not to disturb Eevee as he did so. "If you keep acting like this, Tsukki will never battle you."

"Well, we'll just have to see about that," Kuroo replied with a cunning glint in his eyes.

Yamaguchi looked to the older trainer in mild confusion, unsure what he meant by it.

A moment later something caught Kuroo's eye. "What's that you go there, Freckles?" Kuroo hummed as he pointed to a notebook that had fallen out of Yamaguchi's pocket during their giggle session.

Yamaguchi started scooping up the notebook. "N-nothing really," he insisted, his shoulders hunched suspiciously. Despite not even looking at Kuroo, he could feel Kuroo's cat-like smile beside him.

"Harboring secrets, huh?" Kuroo teased as he gave Yamaguchi a playful nudge. "Wouldn't be writing about Tsukki would you?" he suggestively asked.

Yamaguchi felt every last inch of himself heat up. He knew his face was red to his ears, but hid his notebook nonetheless. "N-N-No!" Yamaguchi practically shouted. "Th-that would be weird," he stammered.

"If it ain't Tsukki then what is it?" Kuroo heckled as he made to lean over Yamaguchi to get a grab at the notebook.

"It's nothing juicy, I swear," Yamaguchi retorted as he leaned away from Kuroo. In the process of their banter Eevee had awoken. She gave a small mew of concern that caught Yamaguchi's attention. "Oh, now you woke her up!"

"Hey, she would still be sleeping if you just told me what is in the notebook," Kuroo replied coolly, though his smile was still quite prominent.

"It's rude to read people's private notebooks," Yamaguchi pouted.

"Well, I'm sorry for disturbing your little princess," Kuroo replied in a baby voice and he scratched Eevee behind the ear. Eevee gave a small happy purr as she leaned into Kuroo's hand.

A long silence hung in the small campsite. Kuroo carried on scratching at Eevee's cheek as the small brown pokemon purred away. Yamaguchi sat in a moment of deep thought as he studied Kuroo's hand.

"If you must know what is in the notebook..." Yamaguchi began tentatively. "It's just some notes I've been jotting down for my showcase routine," he dare not look at Kuroo as he spoke.

"What? Really?" Kuroo asked, genuinely surprised. "I thought for sure it was something like a love journal."

"No, it's not a love journal," Yamaguchi replied far too quickly, his cheeks pink at the idea of a love journal. "It's just some move combination ideas and dance steps I've been thinking of the past week or so." Yamaguchi hadn't really talked much about his routine idea for his showcase. In fact, he hadn't even decided on what showcase he would use as his debut.

"Oh, I mean, I'm not a showcase contestant myself but if you ever need any advice I'm here for you," Kuroo insisted in such a way that Yamaguchi was genuinely surprised.

"I haven't really talked about it much with anyone… yet," Yamaguchi said, still blushing from Kuroo's kind offer.

"Not even Tsukki?" Kuroo asked, his tone holding a hint of a plot that Yamaguchi didn't catch.

"No," Yamaguchi said wish a shake of his head. "Tsukki is busy with his upcoming gym battle and I barely have any idea what I plan to do. I don't want to bother him."

"Have you had a chance to try out any of your ideas yet?" Kuroo hummed as a smile grew on his lips.

"No, not yet," Yamaguchi fidgeted awkwardly. "I've only just solidified my ideas yesterday so…"

"Well, I wouldn't mind seeing what you've got and giving you advice," Kuroo insisted as he leaned into Yamaguchi's bubble. "I've seen quite a few showcases in my day so I do know what a stunning move should look like."

Yamaguchi found himself almost nose to nose with the older trainer. He leaned back a bit as he considered the offer. A long silence hung in the air as he did so but before he could answer a loud rusting of bushes announced Tsukki's return.

Tsukki's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Kuroo getting far too cozy with his best friend. Yamaguchi looked from Kuroo to Tsukki. It became very obvious to him how suspicious the whole scene must have looked to Tsukki. On instinct, Yamaguchi pushed Kuroo back as his cheeks went bright red. All the while Kuroo smiled from ear to ear, almost as if he had perfectly planned it.

"What are you doing?" Tsukishima snapped, his sharp eyes on Kuroo.

"Why so accusatory, Tsukki?" Kuroo cooly replied as he backed off Yamaguchi. "I was just offering my help to my friend here."

Tsukki looked to Yamaguchi for clarification. Yamaguchi looked back to Tsukki, unsure what to say. Everything had all happened so fast. Tsukki's eyes narrowed as they returned to Kuroo. Kuroo didn't seem in the least bit worried. It was almost as if it was the reaction he wanted.

"Freckles here was telling me about his showcase routine," Kuroo purred as he stood up.

"He did?" Tsukishima roughly asked as he looked to Yamaguchi with a hint of hurt in his eyes.

The look in Tsukki's eyes made Yamaguchi feel as if his heart had fallen into his stomach. "Well, I-" Yamaguchi began before being cut off.

"He was going to debut for me some of his move ideas," Kuroo cut in jauntily. "From what I understand, he hasn't shared these ideas with anyone else." It was almost like he was baiting Tsukki and it seemed to be working.

"You better not have been picking on him," Tsukishima accused as he stomped towards the older trainer.

"I'm no bully, right Freckles," Kuroo said with a playful wink.

"No- I- We were just talking," Yamaguchi stammered as he too stood up. He felt a wave of nerves wash over him. He had no clue why Tsukki was so upset. He also worried that Tsukki might have gotten the wrong idea. He did his best to keep his nerves in check as he held Eevee in his arms. Eevee all the while looked upon Tsukki and Kuroo in concern.

"See, just talking," Kuroo said as he held his chin high.

Tsukki looked to Yamaguchi for a long moment. Yamaguchi gave a small earnest nod to show he was not lying. Tsukki then looked to Kuroo who smiled back at him. He then released a long unsatisfied sigh.

"Being so accusatory like that has really hurt my feelings," Kuroo sighed, feigning sadness.

"Well, I'm not sorry," Tsukishima snapped, not even bothering to look at the older trainer.

"Well then, if you think you are so tough why don't we make a deal," Kuroo hummed with an evil smile.

"Yeah, right," Tsukishima grumbled.

"Yeah?" Kuroo said as he walked towards Yamaguchi. He slung a lazy arm around Yamaguchi's shoulder. Yamaguchi's back went stiff while Tsukki's lips pursed. "You and me, Tsukki, let's have a battle," he began as he straightened the arm around Yamaguchi, who glanced over to see a cunning spark in Kuroo's dark eyes.

Tsukki opened his mouth to oppose, but was unable to get a word in.

"If I win the battle than Yamaguchi here is going to become my new travel companion," Kuroo's voice was smooth and steady as he spoke. "If you win, then you get to keep him as your travel companion and I promise I will never touch him ever again."

Yamaguchi made to jump back but found he was unable to. What was Kuroo even saying? Why would he think this would get Tsukki to battle him?

Tsukishima's amber eyes burned with fire at the proposal. He mouth was set to a deep frown as a dark shadow overtook his face. He stood at his full height, and his arms shook with anger. He seemed too angry to even reply.

"Well, what do you say, Tsukki?" Kuroo coaxed as he placed his cheek against Yamaguchi's

"I would never-" Tsukishima began in a deep, no joke, murderous voice.

"If you forfeit then I win by default," Kuroo cut in smoothly. "Hear that Yamaguchi, looks like you will be traveling with me from now on," he laughed before his dark eyes turned back to Tsukki. "Well?"

Well now, I wonder what Kuroo has up his sleeve. He sure picked up on manipulating Tsukki pretty quick. I wonder what Tsukki will do!? Will he fight to keep Yamaguchi by his side and battle Kuroo? If he does battle Kuroo will he win!? Will he just walk away and allow Kuroo to have Yama!? There is only one way to find out and that is to read on!

I should be back on my normal schedule for now. Expect a chapter per a week posted over the weekends. Once the Christmas Holiday rolls around the upload may bet wonky once more but we'll have to see closer to the Holiday. For the next few weeks until than uploads should be normal.

This year I am thankful for all my readers. Thank you all for taking the time to read this fic and follow along despite how long it is! Thank you to all who have left me kudos, bookmarks, follows and the works. Also thank you to those who have left comments and reviews. If there is one thing I love, its a review or comment from my readers. Please drop a review or comment down below and let me know what you think.

Well, that is all for now. See you all next chapter!


	18. The Black Cat Pounces

Hey everyone! I hope you are ready for chapter 18! This really is a good one. Lets see what kind of rise Kuroo was able to get out of Tsukki.

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

On to chapter 18!

The Black Cat Pounces

Yamaguchi had no clue how it had come to this. He sat stiffly on a large rock that stood next to a wide clearing. Yamaguchi's eyes glanced from one side of the clearing, where Kuroo stood stretching his limbs, to the other side, where Tsukki stood with a deep frown. By Tsukki's side sat a very confused but interested Salazzle.

Kuroo had baited Tsukki and Tsukki had taken it surprisingly fast, and Yamaguchi could not understand why Tsukki had become so angry so quickly. Sure, Kuroo had heckled Tsukki for the past day or so, but Tsukki normally didn't rise to other people's bait so quickly. All Kuroo wanted was for Yamaguchi to become his travel companion. It was a joke, wasn't it? Did it really bother Tsukki that badly? The idea of such a thing set Yamaguchi's heart into a strange flutter.

"So, Glasses, it's a one on one. My Pokemon and I against you and your Salazzle," Kuroo reiterated as he straightened. A large cat-like smile spread cunningly across his lips. "If I win, then Yamaguchi travels with me from now on," as he said that, he sent a wink Yamaguchi's direction. Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink. Tsukki frowned deeply.

"And if I win, you need to get lost and never bother us again," Tsukishima grumbled, his face stone cold and barely expressive.

"Sounds like a deal," Kuroo growled with a tooth bearing smile. "You'll have to ref for us, Yamaguchi," he then added in a much less growly tone.

"R-Right," Yamaguchi sputtered as he stood. In his jittery state, he almost dropped Eevee to the floor. The small Pokemon gave a small squeak that only caused Yamaguchi to feel like a bad pokemommy.

"I'm ready if you are, Glasses," Kuroo hummed as he juggled a pokeball in one hand.

"Let's just get this over with," Tsukishima moaned.

Both trainers turned to Yamaguchi who nodded in understanding. "This is a one on one battle between Tsukki and Kuroo. They will each use one Pokemon and whoever's Pokemon faints first losses. The last Pokemon standing is the winner," he announced like an amateur. His cheeks went pink at the sound of his own shaky voice.

Shifting Eevee into just one arm, he raised his right arm high into the air. He looked from Tsukki to Kuroo, who both stood at the ready. A moment of silence hung heavy in the atmosphere.

"Go!" Yamaguchi shouted, his voice cracking a bit.

"Salazzle, let's show this asshole why he shouldn't bother us!" Tsukishima commanded, pointing forward to the center of the clearing.

Salazzle gave a low excited hiss as she rushed forward at Tsukki's command.

"Liepard, lets win us a new travel companion!" Kuroo crackle simultaneously. From Kuroo's pokeball came a stunning Liepard whose eyes were just as sharp and cunning as her owner's

Liepard looked to Salazzle sizing the lizard up. Turning her nose up, she gave an almost scoff like sigh after just one look over. Kuroo gave a small burst like chuckle from where he stood while Salazzle began to fume with anger.

"Salazzle, use Swagger!" Tsukishima commanded cooly, hoping to use Salazzles frustration to his advantage.

Salazzle gave a dangerous hiss as she stood on her haunches and puffed herself up to look bigger. She gave a sassy wag of her tail as she made to look down on Liepard. Unfortunately for Salazzle, the attack had little to no effect on Liepard.

"Nice try, Tsukki," Kuroo mocked wickedly. "Liepard, use Night Slash!"

Liepard was fast. Very fast. So fast, in fact, that Yamaguchi had to blink several times as Liepard landed a direct hit on Salazzle. Salazzle flew back and landed with a pained grunt. Liepard gave a very snobby mew as she watched her opponent land hard. It was in that very moment that both Tsukki and Yamaguchi realized how strong this Liepard was.

"I hope that isn't all you got, Tsukki," Kuroo mocked with a laugh.

"We've only just begun!" Tsukishima growled. "Smog, Salazzle!" He steadily commanded as Salazzle stood quickly.

In one quick move, Salazzle reared back and shot a stream of toxic gas at Liepard.

The gas barely grazed the side of the cat as Liepard rolled out of the way. A bit of her fur bunched where the gas hit. Her sharp green eyes narrowed as she glared at Salazzle.

"Much faster than I expected," Kuroo hummed with glee. He seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit.

Tsukishima gave a frustrated growl. He was annoyed to see Kuroo enjoying himself so much. "Use Ember, Salazzle!"

"Sucker Punch, Liepard!" Kuroo quickly retorted.

Before Salazzle could even rear back to shoot her flame Liepard was on her. Yamaguchi gave a loud worried gasp as Salazzle received a direct blow to her gut. The large lizard flew up and landed hard once more.

"Salazzle!" Yamaguchi found himself calling. From his arms, Eevee let loose a worried cry of her own. It had been a very long time since he had ever seen anyone get the upper hand on Salazzle. She was normally the one with the upper hand, but it was clear to Yamaguchi the Liepard was the stronger of the two.

Salazzle laid still for only a moment before she struggled to her feet.

"I know you can do this, Salazzle," Tsukishima called as his amber eyes show relife at seeing his pokemon stand. For a moment he was worried that he had lost. He wasn't ready to give Kuroo that satisfaction yet. "Double Slap, Salazzle."

Salazzle shook her head before swiftly running forward. Her dark eyes zoned in on Liepard like a radar.

"Yes, that's the kind of spirit I like to see in an opponent," Kuroo whooped. "Get ready to dodge, Liepard. She means business!"

Salazzle swung left and missed. She swung right and almost hit. With a determined hiss, she swung once more and landed a hit directly on the side of Liepard's right foreleg. Salazzle hissed in satisfaction as she made contact.

Liepard gave an angry hiss as the fur on her forearm became ragged. The attack didn't seem to do much damage but Liepard didn't seem to take kindly to having her fur messed up.

"Told you to keep your, wits about you," Kuroo laughed causing his Liepard to shoot him a quick glare. "Don't get sloppy, Liepard!"

"Double slap again!" Tsukishima shouted, using the moment to catch Kuroo and Liepard off guard.

Salazzle gave an excited hiss as she swung once more and landed another good hit on the distracted Liepard before the cat dodged away.

Yamaguchi gave a small cheer from the sidelines that didn't go unnoticed by Tsukki or Salazzle.

"Playing a bit dirty are we?" Kuroo laughed. He seemed to be getting into the battle. "Alright. Night Slash!"

Liepard once again moved swiftly, landing a direct hit on the large lizard.

Salazzle fell and tumbled back. This time the hit looked like it hurt. She lay where she landed for a long moment. Yamaguchi, in his worry for the lizard, forgot to count time. Fortunately, Salazzle struggled to her feet.

"Wow, still going!" Kuroo whistled.

"Salazzle and I don't plan on losing to you," Tsukishima grumbled, though his face was less tight. He almost seemed to be enjoying himself. "Poison gas, once more!"

Salazzle reared back and shot another wave of gas at Liepard, who dodged gracefully.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Kuroo taunted. "You wouldn't want to lose your best friend would you?"

Tsukishima replied with a frustrated grunt. He looked to Yamauchi for a long moment. Yamaguchi looked back, his brow furrowed in worry. Tsukki's amber eyes then filled with determination.

"Come on, Salazzle," Tsukishima shouted. "Dragon Rage!"

"That's more like it!" Kuroo growled in excitement. "Liepard, use Sucker Punch once more.

Liepard gave a small growl as she raced toward Salazzle. Salazzle reared back as she shot a burst of purple-blue dragon flames at the cat. The flames hit Liepard head on.

Yamaguchi gave a loud cheer as he watched the flame make contact, but his excitement died in this throat as he watched Liepard burst through the flames. The agile cat came down hard on Salazzle. With one strong hit from her clawed paw, she sent Salazzle flying.

Salazzle landed hard just in front on Tsukishima's feet. As the flames and dust on the field cleared, Salazzle didn't move. Yamaguchi stood in utter shock. He waited for the lizard to get up but she didn't. It was only when Kuroo cleared his throat did Yamaguchi shake from his shock.

"Salazzle is unable to battle," Yamauchi announced, his voice sounding oddly foreign. "Kuroo is the winner."

Kuroo gave a hearty laugh from his side of the field before calling Liepard back to his side. "Good work, girl," he cheered, scratching her behind the ear.

Tsukishima looked down at his fainted Salazzle. With his amber eyes full of shock, he stood silent. He didn't say a word, nor did he call Salazzle back to her ball.

All the while, Yamaguchi's eyes stayed fixed on Tsukki. It had been a long time since he had seen anyone beat Tsukki this badly. He wanted to rush to his friend's side, but the shock of the battle left his legs quite numb.

"That was a nice battle," Kuroo praised as he made his way over to Tsukishima's end of the field. "You put up a great fight for a beginner." He stopped short in front of Tsukishima, putting a hand out for a shake.

Tsukishima looked from Salazzle to Kuroo's hand to Kuroo. His shock melted into a mix of anger and annoyance. He didn't make a move to take Kuroo's hand.

Yamaguchi looked on in worry. Tsukki seemed to be taking this loss very hard. His stomach began to bubble as he hoped this loss didn't discourage Tsukki in any way. His best friend could be quite sensitive.

Before any more could be said, Kuroo gave a bark-like laugh as he took Tsukki into a very familiar and playful headlock. The tension in the air all but lifted as Tsukki released a very undignified 'ack' and failed to struggle out.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi weakly gasped as he watched the two struggled amongst each other.

"Let me go!" Tsukki barked in anger as he failed to dislodge his head from Kuroo's arm.

"It's rude not to shake hands after such a friendly battle," Kuroo teased as he refused to relent. "And remember what my prize is?" He hissed playfully as he glanced Yamaguchi's way.

With a small 'eep' Yamaguchi jumped back. He had almost forgotten the stakes of the battle. There was no way Kuroo could make him stop his journey with Tsukki.

Kuroo sent Yamaguchi a wicked Cheshire smile before he bent forward and whispered something into the struggling Tsukki's ear.

From where Yamaguchi stood, he couldn't hear what was being said, but it must have been something significant, for Tsukki stopped struggling altogether. Tsukki's pale cheeks turned so red, Yamaguchi was afraid he was unable to breathe. A beat of silence hung in the air before Kuroo broke out in laughter again. With a stream of expletives, Tsukki succeeded in wrenching his head from Kuroo's grip.

Tsukishima sneered as he rubbed his neck, will the while sending Kuroo dirty looks. His cheeks were still quite red as he did so.

In one motion Kuroo turned on Yamaguchi. With a jaunty swagger, he made his way to where Yamaguchi stood. Yamaguchi took a step back. He had no clue what Kuroo was going to do or say next.

"I've decided to let you go free, Freckles," Kuroo began before Yamaguchi could utter a single word.

"What?" Yamaguchi breathed, unsure what he meant by that.

"Glasses over there would probably die if I took you away from him," Kuroo laughed as he shot a very pouty Tsukki a look.

"Die?" Yamaguchi questioned as he looked to Tsukki. He had no clue what Kuroo meant. Tsukki was the most capable person Yamaguchi knew.

"Instead of stealing you away I have decided on a new reward," Kuroo hummed as he leaned into Yamaguchi's space. A small warning growl could be heard from where Tsukki stood.

"A-and th-that would be?" Yamaguchi dared to ask.

Placing a hand on Yamaguchi's back, Kuroo leaned in far too close to Yamaguchi's face. With their noses almost touching, Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go bright red as he shut his eyes and did his best to push away. What was Kuroo doing!? An angry choking noise could be heard from Tsukki along with the sound of stomping feet.

"Why, I want you to debut your showcase moves for me, Freckles," Kuroo sweetly cooed, speaking only centimeters away from Yamauchi's lips. He then burst into a wild cackle as Tsukishima roughy pulled him away from Yamaguchi.

"What do you think you are doing?" Tsukishima snapped as he roughly handed Kuroo.

"Oh, right, his first kiss should be saved for someone special," Kuroo teased, enjoying the rise he was getting out of Tsukishima.

Yamaguchi stood stunned as Kuroo's words processed in his mind. "W-What?" Yamaguchi sputtered as he watched an angry Tsukishima comically pull a laughing Kuroo back.

"No one thinks you're funny," Tsukishima grumbled as he roughly released Kuroo.

"That's because you two are the funny ones," Kuroo replied as he eased up on his laugh. "Never in all my years, so clueless, so angsty," he mumbled to himself between small bouts of laughing.

"So, I don't have to go with you?" Yamaguchi tentatively asked.

Kuroo stifled a giggle at the question but did well to pull himself under control. "No, no," Kuroo reiterated. "How about instead you just show me your showcase routine," he suggested with a small shrug.

"I…" Yamaguchi found himself at a loss of words. He looked to Tsukki for help but got none. "Sure, if that's what you prefer," Yamaguchi shrugged.

"And because I am so nice, I will insist on Tsukki joining us," Kuroo added mockingly.

"Don't call me Tsukki!" Tsukishima replied, leaning away from Kuroo.

"Sounds good to me," Yamaguchi said hopefully as he looked to Tsukki.

Tsukki's sharp gaze melted as his and Yamaguchi's eyes met. He features became softer as he released a small sigh. "Whatever, fine," he mumbled, looking to the side.

Yamaguchi felt a smile bloom on his lips as he watched Kuroo give Tsukki an unnecessary pat on the back. The two trainers didn't really seem to get along too well, but something about Kuroo really added a bit of spice to their travels. He was able to rile Tsukishima up in a way that no one else seemed to be able to do. It was good for Tsukki and that made Yamaguchi happy.

So who saw that coming? Anyone? Who thought Tsukki was going to win? Who was placed their bets on Kuroo? Show of hands. Also, Kuroo would never separate two best friends. He has a similar bond with Kenma so he wouldn't have it in him. Beside, Kuroo really is a nice guy :P I wonder where their adventures are going to take them next. Let's read on to find out!

I should be able to get chapter 19 out on time so I hope to see you all there!

As always, thank you all so much for the Kudos, Bookmarks, Followers and comments/reviews. I appreciate every last one of them. It really lets me know who is reading and your enjoyment. If you have time do leave a comment or review and let me know what you think of the chapter or the fic as a whole. Feedback from the readers is the best!

Well, that is all for now! See you next chapter!


	19. The Alleyway

Hey all! I hope you are having a great Holiday season. Somehow I am still finding time to write and post. That being said here is chapter 19. I hope you enjoy. It was a fun one to write. Let's see what happens next with these three bois.

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! Even during such a busy season they make time to edit this fic so it is readable for you all. They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give their page a look. Let them know you appreciate the work they do on this fic because without them this would be a lot less pleasant for all of you to read because I am horrible with punctuation and such. They are the real hero here!

Without further ado here is chapter 19!

The Alleyway

Yamaguchi stood by large building just across from the Lumiose Gym. In his arms, he cradled Eevee who suckled feverishly away at the bottle in his hand. Yamaguchi looked over across the way to where Kuroo stood beside Tsukki, taunting the blond trainer as Tsukki talked with an employee at the gym about battling that day. Yamaguchi stifled a small laugh as he watched Tsukki snap at a sneaking Kuroo.

Their travels had been loads more lively since Kuroo had joined them. Tsukki made a fuss every day about the matter, but Kuroo didn't hesitate to remind Tsukki that he'd won their battle and therefore won the right to travel with them. While Tsukki was bitter about it all, for the most part, he quieted down about Kuroo's company with each passing day.

Yamaguchi didn't mind Kuroo's company one bit. He brought a bit of spice to the days, but was unexpectedly knowledgeable about all sorts of stuff. He'd often try to aid Tsukki in his training; it often ended with Tsukki giving him the cold shoulder for a good hour. Kuroo also tried to help Yamaguchi with his showcase routine. The older trainer had never performed himself, but he seemed to have seen enough showcase competitions to give Yamaguchi some much-needed advice. He apparently had plenty of friends who performed.

Yamaguchi leaned against the wall of the large building he stood in front of as he carried on watching the two trainers. He had taken refuge under the shade to allow Eevee a comfortable place to feed before they carried on. Beside him sat a small alleyway that led to a quaint sitting area. Other than that, there wasn't really anything or anyone else around him. He had contemplated going to the bench in the sitting area but decided he didn't want to wander too far from his companions. He found the shade beside the alleyway was quiet and comfortable enough.

Yamaguchi released a content sigh as he looked down upon Eevee. The small brown fluff ball was just about halfway done with her lunch. Milk seeped out of the side of her mouth as she sucked away at the bottle. Yamaguchi often found himself wondering when she would start to teethe. Yamaguchi loved his feeding time with Eevee and would miss it once she was weaned off of the bottle. The two would always end bottle time with a good dose of cuddles before Eevee fell asleep for a long nap. Perhaps Tsukki was right, and he did spoil Eevee a bit too much. But could you blame him?

"Did you bring it?"

Yamaguchi perked up at the sudden voice. It was a harsh whisper, as if whoever spoke wanted to be sure no one else heard. Yamaguchi looked around, but saw no one. He brought Eevee protectively closer as he tried to locate the owner of the voice. He looked to see Tsukki speaking to a gym employee as Kuroo shot him a wink and a smile. Yamaguchi smiled weakly trying to hide his paranoia.

"No one followed you, right?" the harsh whisper spoke again. This time Yamaguchi identified the voice to belong to a girl. She sounded agitated and possibly upset.

"No, Commander, I have made sure nobody tailed me," another voice replied, that time it was the voice of a man.

"I heard half of your squad almost got caught," The women carried on cooly. "Two grunts were even taken into custody," her voice was like a knife but stayed controlled.

Yamaguchi did his best to not make a sound. He didn't know what these two people were going on about, but he definitely didn't want them to find out he'd been eavesdropping the whole time. He held Eevee even closer as he did his best to stay calm. So far, Eevee hadn't taken notice of his nerves.

"We are sorry, Commander, we didn't mean to-" the man stammered clumsily. He was obviously scared of the woman he kept referring to as Commander.

"You know our Boss does not put up with such clumsy work!" The Commander snapped so harshly that even Yamaguchi gave a small start.

There was a long pause before the man replied with a quiet "Yes, Commander."

"Now, did you bring it?" The woman asked, her tone stern but less sharp.

There was the sound of shuffling as the crinkle of a bag being opened could be heard. "It's right here." the man replied.

"Perfect!" The woman sounded very pleased.

Yamaguchi, on pure instinct, found himself peeking around the corner. He did his best to stay hidden in the shadow of the building. He usually never snooped, as getting into someone else's business typically spelled unnecessary trouble. Nonetheless, he peeked around the corner.

The alleyway was quite shaded, and the two people talking stood in the darkest part of the shadows, but he could make out two figures. There was a man who was in too much shadow for Yamaguchi to make out any features. Across from the man stood a woman, who stood with her back to Yamaguchi. She wore what looked to be a purple business jacket with a matching skirt, and blood red heels. Her hair fell past her shoulders, reaching her upper back. From where he stood, Yamaguchi couldn't make out her hair color, but what he could make out was a large book in her perfectly manicured hands. The book was quite large and quite old. He could not see title, but the woman seemed utterly happy to have it.

A wave of curiosity has washed over Yamauchi for a moment. The two had sounded like they had stolen some sort of priceless object, like a diamond or the latest piece of tech. Perhaps the book was an old first edition of a popular title. But they were exchanging it in a dark alleyway. Yamaguchi didn't have much time to ponder, for at that moment, the man caught sight of him.

"Hey! Who's there!?" the man shouted as he looked past the woman at Yamaguchi.

"What!" Yamaguchi heard the woman gasp angrily. He didn't wait around to find out if she too caught sight of him. Holding Eevee close he hightailed it back to Tsukki and Kuroo as swiftly as he could..

He was shaking when he made it back to the sides of his two friends. His body filled with adrenaline as he dared not look back at the alleyway. He half expected the two mystery people to chase after him, but by the reactions of Tsukki and Kuroo, that didn't seem to be the case. Yamaguchi looked up to find them both looking at him in worry.

"You okay, Freckles?" Kuroo asked as he lifted on eyebrow in surprised worry.

Still shaken by being caught, Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki and Kuroo in a mix of shock and growing embarrassment. "I-um-I-ah!" He babbled incoherently. He then whipped around to look back at the alleyway, expecting to see the man and woman coming after him. To his shock, there didn't seem to be any life in the alleyway. He looked back to Kuroo and Tsukki, unsure of what to say.

"Yamaguchi, what happened?" Tsukki demanded, hidden worry lacing his voice.

Yamaguchi's nerve subsided with each passing second. He was probably worrying over nothing. He most likely overheard two fans of some book series having a moment. Nothing for him to concern the other two over. It would be pointless to tell them anyways. With the sun to his back, the two mystery people probably didn't get a good look at him anyways.

"I was a Beedrill," Yamaguchi lied with a nervous smile. Tsukki was always able to see right through his lies.

"Beedrill?" Tsukki asked, unconvinced.

"I thought I saw one," Yamaguchi nodded, refusing to relent now that he had already gone down the path of lying. "But it must have been the trick of the light."

"Well, no need to worry, Freckles," Kuroo laughed as he gave Yamaguchi's shoulder a pat. "Beedrills aren't often found in cities. They prefer the cleaner air of the forest."

"Right," Yamaguchi replied a bit too quickly. "I'm fine now," he added with a forced smile.

Kuroo didn't seem to think much of it, but Tsukki's keen amber eyes studied Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi could tell that Tsukki wasn't convinced. He knew Yamaguchi was not being truthful. Perhaps later Yamaguchi would come clean, but not right now.

"So, when is the gym battle going to be?" Yamaguchi happily sighed as he changed the subject.

"Well, fortunately for Tsukki here, the gym has a free slot for this evening," Kuroo smiled like a cat as he spoke.

"Wow, that's great," Yamaguchi gave an artificial laugh. He did his best to ignore Tsukki's prying eyes. "I guess we should hit the Pokemon center then," He prompted, wanting nothing more than to get as far away from the ally as he could.

"Yes, probably a good idea," Tsukishima hummed, his eyes still lingered on Yamaguchi, but his gaze was a bit less intense. Yamaguchi sent his friend the most innocent of smiles, but that did nothing to convince Tsukishima otherwise.

"When you two look longingly into each other's eyes like that, it makes me feel so lonely," Kuroo mock cried before looping one arm around Yamaguchi's shoulder and the other around Tsukki's. He brought them in close, causing Tsukki to release a very dissatisfied hiss. Kuroo then guided the two in the direction of the Pokemon center. "Better heal up before the big battle."

As the alleyway was left behind, Yamaguchi thanked Arceus for Kuroo's wily ways.

By the time the three had made it to the Pokemon center, Yamaguchi's worries were fading quickly. He had taken the time to rationalize what he had heard. It was nothing to worry about, and he wasn't going to let it distract him. He had to focus on the matter at hand. Tsukki's gym battle was only an hour away and he couldn't distract himself from being there for his best friend.

Before long, Yamaguchi found himself standing outside the Lumiose Gym looking up at the tall tower. His eyes shined with amazement as the chrome finish of the building shined orange from the setting sun. Last time they had come there, the gym had been temporarily closed. As they entered the gym, he recalled once reading that the gym had been run by a robot at some point. Perhaps the robot was being fixed and that was why it was closed before.

Yamaguchi, with Eevee in his arms, Tsukishima and Kuroo were greeted by what Yamaguchi assumed to be an employee of the gym. A large man with a brown bushy beard, a green hat and blue construction overalls greeted them with a smile. Yamaguchi had not talked with many gym employees before but this man seemed different from what he expected.

"Tsukishima, I presume?" the man greeted.

"Yes," Tsukishima replied coolly. "And you're Citron?"

"Oh no, Citron is my son," the man laughed heartily. "You can call me Limone. I'm just filling in for the normal greeter," he explained, not dropping his friendly smile.

Tsukishima seemed to eye the cheerful adult with mild annoyance as he released a low 'hum' of understanding.

"It's nice to see you again, Limone," Kuroo greeted, pushing past Tsukki.

"Kuroo, back so soon?" Limone greeted with cheer, giving Kuroo a strong pat on the shoulder.

"Do you know each other?" Yamaguchi stupidly asked, knowing what the answer was.

"Yeah, Kuroo here is one of the best trainers around!" Limone praised with another pat to Kuroo's shoulder. Kuroo seemed to enjoy the attention.

Yamaguchi could not help but look to Kuroo in amazement. He had no clue Kuroo was a well-known trainer.

"Oh you're being far too kind," Kuroo waved it off, though he did so in such a way that led both Yamaguchi and Tsukki to believe he was fishing for more compliments.

""Don't be modest, Kuroo," Limone laughed.

"Yeah, don't be modest," Tsukki snarked under his breath, and Yamaguchi stifled a laugh, which fortunately seemed to go unnoticed by Limone.

"Why, Kuroo was just here last week winning himself the Voltage Badge," Limone carried on. "What was that, you fifth badge already?" He asked.

Kuroo seemed to start at the disclosure of this information.

"You're collecting badges too!?" Yamaguchi gasped. Kuroo had never mentioned being part of the league. "And you have five already!"

Tsukishima seemed none too pleased at hearing this. He eyed Kuroo with a new type of annoyance.

"Yeah, well…" Kuroo shrugged, seeming to be under a bit of pressure at being caught.

"Why didn't you tell us," Yamaguchi asked in awe.

"You didn't ask," Kuroo replied matter of factly.

Yamaguchi seemed at a loss of words from the reply. Had they really not asked?

"Regardless of how many badges I may or may not have," Kuroo carried on before much more could be said. "We are here for a certain other person to win their badge," He turned to Tsukishima as he spoke.

Tsukishima frowned at him.

"Right, I'll take you to the field," Limone gasped at forgetting about the battle. "It's right this way," He pointed to a pair of large doors. "Oh, and down that hall will lead you two to the spectator seating," he added, pointing to the hall on the left.

"Good luck, Tsukki," Yamaguchi hummed over his shoulder as he followed Kuroo to the spectator stands.

Tsukishima shot him a confident look as he gave a nod before walking through the two doors.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi found himself seated in the spectator stand beside Kuroo. They'd chosen the seats closest to the front on Tsukki's side of the field. Tsukki stood on his end of the field as he look through his three Pokemon balls. They had been informed prior that this was a two pokemon battle. Tsukki hadn't told Yamaguchi nor Kuroo about his strategy for the gym battle, which made Yamaguchi feel both excited and nervous.

Yamaguchi's eyes wandered the field and he leaned back in his seat. Eevee sat in his lap, also looking around in curiosity, as was her first time in a gym. Perhaps all the new smells are what peaked her attention.

"So, when you battled here did you battle a robot?" Yamaguchi asked, glancing Kuroo's way.

"What?" Kuroo stifled a laugh. "No," he looked to Yamaguchi with a large smile that read 'are you joking'.

"I mean, it's just, I read that…" Yamaguchi blubbered as his cheeks turned pink.

Kuroo searched Yamaguchi for a long moment before releasing a long "Ooooh, right." He laughed at himself for a good second before addressing Yamaguchi once more. "I forgot that at one point this gym had a robot gym leader but that was over ten years ago or something."

"Ten years ago? Really?" Yamaguchi hummed. He could not recall what the article he had read said.

"Though, battling a robot would be pretty good," Kuroo mentioned, leaning back in his seat and looking over the battlefield, his eyes not fixing on anything in particular.

"Sounds terrifying to me," Yamaguchi shuttered just thinking about it. His shiver alarmed Eevee for a moment, causing him to have to rub her head reassuringly.

Before any more could be said between the two, the door on the gym leader's side of the battlefield slid open. Both Kuroo and Yamaguchi sat upright in their seats to get a good look, and Tsukishima stopped fiddling with Snivy's ball as the door caught his attention. Yamaguchi was surprised to find that a girl not much older than he and Tsukki strode in through the door.

The girl had blonde hair and blue eyes. Her hair was french braided along her head that ended in a ponytail, at the base of which was a large yellow triangle beret. She wore a black dress with a frilly white skirt, and upon her shoulder was a very cheerful Dedenne. Yamaguchi was quite confused, as he recalled reading that the Lumiose Gym's leader was a man.

"You must be Tsukishima," the girl greeted with a cheerful giggle once she arrived at her side of the field. "My name is Eureka and I will be your opponent today."

Tsukishima lifted a brow at this for he too did not expect to be facing a young girl. "I was under the impression that the gym leader here went by the name of Citron…" he replied flatly.

Eureka only looked put off for a moment before she regained her slightly less cheerful, composure. "Oh, that's just my big brother," Eureka laughed with a wave of her hand. "Sorry, he's out right now, so you got me. Believe me, I'm a much fiercer opponent." 

Tsukishima did not seem convinced, but said nothing on the topic. "As long as I can win my badge, I don't care who I have to battle," he replied with a shrug.

"I can assure you that I do have the certification to give badges when the regular gym leader is out," Eureka said with a smile and a nod. Her Dedenne gave a small squeak of agreement.

"Then I'll take your word for it," Tsukishima shrugged once more. He just wanted to get the battle over with.

"I wonder where Citron is off to," Kuroo said from beside Yamaguchi. He looked a bit more serious and in thought.

Yamaguchi looked to Kuroo, surprised to see him so serious. He gave Eevee a small pat on the head to help calm himself. He wondered what got Kuroo's normal cool mood to change so suddenly.

"Well then, let's get this battle on the way," Eureka shouted, looking to the referee.

"This battle is an official gym battle between Tsukishima Kei of Poni Island and Eureka, the Lumiose Gym Leader," the referee began. "This is a two on two battle. The challenger is allowed to switch out his two Pokemon at any point in the battle but the gym leader may not. Whoever is left with a Pokemon able to battle is the winner. The first to have both Pokemon knocked out and unable to battle will be the loser. You may now start your battle."

Simultaneously Tsukishima and Eureka called out their Pokemon of choice.

"Snivy, go!" Tsukishima commanded coolly, and Snivy jumped forth. She held a heavy frown as she sized Eureka up.

"Let's go, Pachirisu," Eureka called out, and a small white and blue squirrel like pokemon leaped from the ball. It came out with a loud cheer doing a few small circle laps, smarks emitting from its cheeks the whole time.

Snivy was unimpressed by her opponent's antics. Yamaguchi, on the other hand, found Pachirisu to be quite adorable. The small blue and white squirrel didn't seem to be too threatening, but Yamaguchi knew looks could be deceiving. This was an official gym battle after all.

"Snivy, use vine whip," Tsukishima coolly commanded.

With a confirming growl, Snivy sent two long whip-like vines directly at Pachirisu. Pachirisu easily avoided the attack as Eureka commanded it to "Use Quick Attack now!" Pachirisu was like a blue and white blur as he sped like a bullet towards Snivy, making a direct hit.

"Wow! So fast," Yamaguchi gasped without realizing.

"Looks like Glasses was surprised, too," Kuroo chuckled, his eyes examining a momentarily shocked Tsukishima.

Tsukishima scowled for only a moment before shooting, "Leech seed, now!"

Like two bullets, Snivy sent two seeds rocketing towards Pachirisu. The first barely missed, while the second hit Pachirisu square in the back. With a small cry, Pachirisu tumbled head over heels as vines grew from the seed and wound their way around Pachirisu. Snivy smirked proudly.

"Oh no, Pachirisu!" Eureka cried as energy began to be sucked from the small squirrel.

"Vine whip again!" Tsukishima did not miss a beat with commanding Snivy.

Snivy shot two long vines Pachirisu's way, and both made a direct hit. Pachirisu gave a small cry as he struggled to stay standing.

"Pachirisu, use spark," Eureka commanded, not ready to give up.

Pachirisu gave a labored cry before sending a wild stream of sparks towards Snivy. Snivy easily shook it off, as the electric attack didn't seem to affect the grass-like Pokemon.

"Let's finish this, Snivy," Tsukishima almost sighed. "Leaf Tornado!"

Snivy gave a powerful cry as she sent a tornado of swirling leaves towards the struggling Pachirisu. Pachirisu was buffered and battered as the attack hit. One could hear its small cries as it became engulfed with the leaves. Even Yamaguchi gave a small gasp of concern.

As the leaves cleared up, it revealed a motionless Pachirisu. The small Pokemon lay on the ground, completely passed out. A silence hung in the air as the referee examined Pachirisu.

"Pachirisu is unable to battle," The man announced clearly. "Snivy is the winner!"

"Aw, drat!" Eureka pouted before calling Pachirisu back. "You got lucky this time, kid! Your next opponent won't be so easy."

Tsukishima gave a very small uncaring shrug before calling Snivy back to her ball. "Just call out your next Pokemon," he sighed.

With a deep frown, it was obvious Eureka didn't care for the attitude. Yamaguchi couldn't help but wish for Tsukki to control himself sometimes. Kuroo, on the other hand, gave a small amused chuckle.

"Magnemite, let show this sour face what we are made of," Eureka shouted as she summoned her next Pokemon.

"Bagon, time for some practice," Tsukishima sassed, summoning the small blue dragon. Without missing a beat, Tsukishima commanded "Focus Energy, now!" Immediately, Bagon hunkered down as he focused his energy.

"Use tackle, Magnemite," Eureka shouted.

Magnemite shot towards Bagon, only for Bagon to swiftly dodge the move.

"No!" The gym leader huffed in frustration.

"Ember," Tsukishima commanded, unable to hide his wicked smirk.

"No, watch out, Magnemite," Eurika cried, but it was a little too late.

Bagon breathed out a large flame that critically hit Magnemite. The steel pokemon practically fell to the ground as it became red hot.

"Ember once more!" Tsukishima coolly commanded, his smirk still present.

Another burst of flames erupted from Bagon, and Magnemite was once again surrounded by flames. This time, when the flames cleared Magnemite did not move.

Moments later the referee shouted "Magnemite is unable to battle. Bagon is the winner. Tsukishima is the winner of the match."

From the stands, Yamaguchi gave a loud whoop. He felt pride well up in his chest at Tsukki winning his second badge.

"Tsukki was amazing, that had to be the fastest gym battle in the world," Yamaguchi cheered, looking to Kuroo.

Kuroo did not reply. With his eyes fixed on Tsukki, a small frown hung heavy on his lips. Yamaguchi followed the older trainers line of sight to find that Tsukki looked none too excited. He didn't smile nor congratulate Bagon as he called him back into his ball. If someone were to walk into the gym at that moment they probably could have assumed Tsukki had lost.

Yamaguchi felt his heart sink at seeing his friend so down. Why wasn't Tsukki happy? He didn't even smile as Eureka handed him the golden Voltage Badge. He merely took it and didn't bother to look the girl in the eyes.

"Well, an official win is an official win, no matter what the challenge," Kuroo shrugged as he leaned back in his seat. Yamaguchi glanced towards Kuroo, unsure of what he meant. When he looked back to the field, Tsukishima was already heading to the exit.

As Kuroo and Yamaguchi stood, someone came rushing onto the field. It was Officer Jenny. She swiftly pushed past Tsukki, not even giving him any notice. She looked alarmed and in a rush. Tsukki sent the officer a small scowl before exiting the field.

Yamaguchi, on the other hand, found himself quite curious. What was going on? Both he and Kuroo leaned over the rails to get a better look.

"Eureka, you need to come quick," they heard Officer Jenny gasp. "Someone has broken into the Professor's office."

Yamaguchi gave a shocked gasp. Were they talking about Professor Sycamore's office? Yamaguchi's curiosity only peaked more as he strained to hear more.

"What did they take?" Eureka gasped.

It was then that Officer Jenny looked up to Yamaguchi and Kuroo. Se sent them both stern looks as she shouted "This is confidential information, so I am going to have to ask for you two to leave."

Yamaguchi leaned back a bit in shock. He had almost forgotten he was there. He badly wanted to know what had been taken from the Professor, but the look Officer Jenny shot him made him think otherwise.

"We better go," Kuroo mumbled as he lead the way off the spectator stands.

Yamaguchi looked back at the two women on the field once more before following after Kuroo. It didn't take them long to find Tsukki by the gym entrance. He looked up at the two with a deep frown as they approached.

"Took you two long enough," Tsukishima grumbled.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologized as he slid up next to his best friend. "Got a little sidetracked by the drama going on with Officer Jenny." Yamaguchi glanced back at the entrance to the battlefield as his mind flashed to earlier that day in the alleyway. He half wondered if he should tell Officer Jenny about what he saw.

"We should probably get going," Tsukishima said, cutting Yamaguchi's thought short.

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi replied, looking back to his two friends. "Both Bagon and Snivy did a great job so I'll cook them up a special dinner."

With a pink blush, Tsukishima gave a small 'tch' that caused Kuroo to chuckle.

"Well, I am going to catch up with you two after dinner so don't wait up for me," Kuroo said before turning towards the entrance to the battlefield.

"Wait, where are you going?" Yamaguchi called after.

"Don't worry about it, just go ahead without me," Kuroo called over his shoulder.

Tsukishima didn't hesitate to leave the gym, though Yamaguchi glanced back towards Kuroo as he disappeared into the battlefield room before turning and following after Tsukki. As they exited the Gym, the alleyway from earlier that day caught Yamaguchi's eyes. It was much darker now that the sun had gone down. The moonlight shown in front of it in an almost aluring way. His gaze lingered on it as a chill went down his spine. The two in the alleyway had exchanged a book. Probably something completely unrelated to what Officer Jenny had come to talk to Eureka about.

"Are you coming or not?" Tsukishima asked, shooting Yamaguchi a curious look.

"Ah! Yes, lets go," Yamaguchi almost shouted as he looked to his best friend.

Tsukishima nodded before turning and heading in the direction of the Pokemon Center.

"You and your Pokemon really did do such a great job today," Yamaguchi praised as he came up next to Tsukki. "Congratulations on the win, Tsukki."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima blushed in reply, though the darkness of night hid it well.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi laughed as he allowed himself to relax beside his best friend, the dark alleyway forgotten with each step the two took.

Well now. What an interesting development. I wonder what is going on. Who were those people in the ally? Should we worry? Perhaps it was nothing at all… Dear Yama needn't stress. And Good for Tsukki getting another badge. I knew he could do it! I wonder what Kuroo when back to talk with Jenny and Eurika about. There is only one way to find out! Thats to keep reading!

Hey all. So with the holidays almost here I may or may not be uploading regularly. I will be traveling so we will see what happens and if I can get chapters out when I want. Mostly might have no internet on some days. We will see. I will still do my nest to get the chapters out on time.

As always, thank you all so much for the follows, kudos, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all and the feedback really encourages me and brightens my day. Please leave a comment or review if you have the time and let me know how you are enjoying the story thus far!

Well, that is all for now! See you all next chapter!


	20. The Rescue

Happy Holidays All! So here is good old Chapter 20! I don't really have much to say about this chapter. I'm just interested in what you guys think of it. All I can really say is it is a more Tsukki centric chapter for the first time ever in this fic! I hope you enjoy.

My current beta reader is on holiday so for this chapter it was beta read by our old friend heichousheadphones (). Let's thank them for taking time out of their holiday to substitute beta for us all.

It's Tsukki time with chapter 20!

The Rescue

It was late by the time Kuroo had come back to the Pokemon Center's hostle. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had long since finished dinner and were already relaxing in their beds. Tsukki was on the top bunk relaxing as he listened to music while Yamaguchi sat reading a beginners guide to fashion and sewing. Eevee slept soundly in Yamaguchi's lap, snoring ever so softly.

Kuroo's entry was so sudden that, in his startled state, Yamaguchi almost hit his head on the top bunk. Eevee gave a very loud cry before panicking her way up Yamaguchi's shirt, scratching his belly up all the while. Tsukki, who had been listening through headphones, merely opened one eye in acknowledgment. Kuroo looked deep in thought as he entered, not at first noticing the upset he had caused.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to startle you guys," Kuroo apologised with a sheepish bow. His eyes lingered a bit longer on the shivering ball that was Eevee.

"No, it's okay," Yamaguchi quietly insisted as Tsukishima simultaneously hissed a loud "Have some damn manners."

"We have dinner for you on the table," Yamaguchi said, motion to a small table at the foot of Kuroo's bunk bed.

"Aw thank you, Freckles," Kuroo smiled, making his way to the table. "Always so thoughtful."

"It's just some leftover curry," Yamaguchi waved off the compliment feeling a moment of shyness.

"What took you so long anyways?" Tsukishima bluntly asked, now sitting up and being a part of the conversation.

"Oh, just wanted to make sure everything was okay," Kuroo vaguely replied as he sat at the table and started on his meal. "Wow, Freckles. Your cooking is always getting better and better."

Yamaguchi replied with a small blush as he unconsciously patted the still startled Eevee.

"I don't know why you would even bother yourself with other people's problems," Tsukishima scoffed. He was scowling at Kuroo. He always seemed at odds with the older trainer no matter how peaceful Kuroo was behaving.

"It's not a crime to care about others, you know," Kuroo shrugged. "I know, Glasses, that you are not a stranger to caring," he carried on, his eyes looking from Tsukishima to Yamaguchi in an almost accusing manner.

Tsukishima released a very throaty growl but didn't take Kuroo's bait.

"Was everything okay?" Yamaguchi quickly asked, ignoring the odd exchange Kuroo and Tsukki just had.

"Just an item lost from the Professor's Lab," Kuroo shrugged. "They don't really have a lead at the moment but they suspect it may have been a scientist from the lab."

"What was the item?" Yamaguchi reluctantly asked as he felt an odd, heavy uncomfortable feeling build in the pit of his stomach.

Kruoo took a moment to look at both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima before he replied. "You two needn't worry yourself over this little situation. The authorities have it under control," he insisted.

"Yeah, right," Yamaguchi quietly breathed as he willed himself to relax.

"Wasn't going to worry about it," Tsukishima huffed insistently.

"So are you two going to hang 'round the city for a few more days?" Kuroo asked, keen on changing the subject.

"Well…" Yamaguchi cut in before Tsukki could answer. "I have decided on my first showcase competition."

Tsukishima made a subtle surprised 'hum' while Kuroo whistled an interested "Have you now?"

"Yeah, it's going to be located in Camphrier Town town in a few days from now," Yamaguchi explained. "It's focused more for beginners and first time showcase contestants and so I just thought it would be a good start for me," Yamaguchi fidgeted as he spoke. He had meant to tell the others sooner but between the gym battle and their hectic travels he had forgotten.

"Sounds like a good fit if you ask me," Kuroo agreed with a large cat-like smile. Yamaguchi smiled in return.

"I hope it's okay with you two…" Yamaguchi quietly added.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Tsukishima replied from above. Yamaguchi wasn't unable to see his best friend's face but from his voice he could sense a bit of shyness.

"We'll have to leave tomorrow though," Yamaguchi clarified. The Showcase was in about a week so they wouldn't be able to doddle.

"I'll be ready to go by tomorrow so don't stress," Tsukishima bluntly replied, knowing his best friend well.

Yamaguchi could only give a shy breathy laugh as a reply. Tsukki really does know him a little too well.

"Unfortunately, I will not be able to join you two," Kuroo sighed loudly as he gave a large stretch that reminded Yamaguchi of a confident Tom Skitty.

"What? Why?" Yamaguchi asked in wide eyed surprise.

"I guess our path just split here is all," Kuroo said with another large stretch. "But don't worry, Freckles, I'm sure our paths will cross again," he ended with a cheeky wink.

"Oh, I see," Yamaguchi deflated in disappointment. He had only started to enjoy Kuroo's company.

"Good riddance," Tsukishima grumbled from the top bunk. His comment went mostly ignored by both Yamaguchi and Kuroo.

"Where will you be going next?" Yamaguchi asked in mild reluctance, not wanting to pry too much.

"Well, I gotta go meet some friends is all," Kuroo hummed in a very calm distant sort of way.

"Friends?" Yamaguchi questioned.

"Aw don't looks so dejected, Freckles," Kuroo jokes causing Yamaguchi to wonder if he was acting desperate in any way. "I'll make it a point to watch your first showcase on TV so don't worry," he carried on, ending with a small finger gun and another cheeky wink.

"You're an idiot," Tsukishima grumbled in an almost inaudible voice. Kuroo replied with a very cheeky chuckle that did nothing to satisfy Tsukki's insult.

"Love you too, Tsukki," Kuroo replied, sending Tsukki a wink of his own.

Tsukishima made a very disapproving grunt before laying back down and turning his back to Kuroo. Kuroo found this reaction to be quite satisfactory. He sent Yamaguchi silent 'oopsie' sort of shrug. Yamaguchi replied with a look that read 'please don't antagonise him' which only made Kuroo stifle a chuckle.

The evening passed calmly and with little to no disturbance. Yamaguchi was sad to have to say goodbye to Kuroo, but equally excited to make his way to his very first showcase. He felt a moment of panic well up in his stomach at the idea he might not make it to the town in time. They had about 6 days to make it to Camphrier Town before the showcase. He had checked five times over and every time found that it should not take them more than three days to make the trip by foot but Yamaguchi found himself to be the type who's plans never go accordingly. As he layed in bed with Eevee sound asleep at his side he hoped for nothing but the best.

It was early next morning when Yamaguchi and Tsukishima stood at the edge of Lumiose City's city limit bidding farewell to Kuroo.

"Well, it was great, guys, but this is where our paths split," Kuroo sighed like a wise old man.

"Finally," Tsukishima scoffed.

"No worries, Tsukki, I'm sure our paths will cross again soon," Kuroo mock comforted as he slung an arm around Tsukishima's shoulders. "And when we do I will be more than happy to mentor you in battling."

"Hey, get off!" Tsukishima snapped as he failed to shake Kuroo. "I don't need your help!"

With a cheeky grin, Kuroo whispered something into Tsukishima's ear before sending Yamaguchi a very curious knowing grin. As Kuroo did so Tsukishima's cheeks went a brilliant shade of red before violently tearing himself away from Kuroo. All the while Yamaguchi looked on in confusion. He wanted to ask what that had been all about but couldn't articulate the question.

"And good luck with your showcase, Freckles," Kuroo carried on as if the incident from moments ago hadn't happened. "I'll be sure to catch it on TV."

"I'll do my best," Yamaguchi replied with a nervous smile.

Kuroo then leaned in close, stopping just beside Yamaguchi's ear. "And watch out for Tsukki. Arceus knows how badly he needs you," Kuroo half-joked half-insisted in a quiet whisper.

Yamaguchi knew his cheeks had gone pink at the comment as he stifled a breathy "W- What?"

"What was that?" Tsukishima cut in.

"Oh, nothing…" Kuroo sang as he gave Eevee an affectionate pat on the head before stepping away from Yamaguchi. "I don't want to keep you two any more," he hummed, quick to change the subject.

"Something we can agree on," Tsukishima mumbled, though he still eyed Kuroo with suspicion.

"We'll see you soon, Kuroo," Yamaguchi piped in, his demeanor a lot shy.

"You two take care of each other," Kuroo said with a cheshire smile.

Tsukishima didn't obliged the comment and simply turned on his heel and headed down the path into the woods.

"See you later, Kuroo," Yamaguchi called before following after Tsukishima.

It wasn't long before Kuroo was gone and the two were surrounded by thick woods. The air was much warmer than it had been. The sky was blue with fluffy clouds and filled Yamaguchi with the idea that winter was far behind them and spring was in full swing.

"I'd like to set up camp with enough time for me and Popplio to practice," Yamaguchi hummed as he followed beside Tsukishima. In his arms he held Eevee who was mesmerized by the beautiful spring day.

"Should be fine," Tsukishima curtly replied. He still seemed a bit on edge about Kuroo's antics.

"While the two of us practice would you mind watching Eevee?" Yamaguchi asked, sending Tsukishima a hopeful look.

Tsukishima glanced at Yamaguchi before looking down to the Eevee in Yamaguchi's arms. Eevee sent Tsukishima a very unsure but curious look. Eevee was still quite shy around anyone outside of Yamaguchi and Salazzle.

"I'm sure Salazzle will give you a hand," Yamaguchi prompted hopefully.

Tsukishima looked to the sky as if in deep thought before looking back to Yamaguchi. "Yeah, fine," He finally replied.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said with a bright smile.

"It's no big deal," Tsukishima mumbled, looking anywhere but Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi's smile only grew.

It was late afternoon by the time Yamaguchi and Tsukishima set up camp for the day. They found a nice open patch in the forest not too far from a small meadow Yamaguchi would use to practice his routine with Popplio. The showcase was only days away and Yamaguchi still had a lot in their routine he needed to iron out.

Digging deep into his backpack, Yamaguchi felt around. He felt a Pokeball, a bag of Pokemon chow, his toothbrush, Eevee's bottle, all of which were not what he wanted. With a muffled grunt he dug even deeper until he felt it. With a satisfied sigh he pulled a fabric bag from his backpack. It was a green satin bag closed at the top by a gold drawstring.

Without wasting time, Yamaguchi opened the top of the pouch and pulled out a white bracelet. It was a Z-ring he had brought with him all the way from Alola. Carefully he slipped the bracelet onto this left wrist and fiddled with it until it was secure. Before coming to Alola, Yamaguchi had not really used his Z-ring.

With the Z-ring secur on his wrist he turned his attention back to the pouch. With his right hand he carefully poured the remaining content into his free hand. Three diamond shaped objects fell from the pouch into his hand. There was a while stone, a normalium Z, pink stone, a fairium Z and a blue stone, waterium Z. With a happy hum, Yamaguchi selected the waterium Z before replacing the other two stone back into the pouch and placing the pouch back into his backpack.

Clicking the waterium Z into his Z-ring, Yamaguchi stood up to face Tsukishima. "I promise to only be away for a few hours," Yamaguchi announced as he looked himself over to make sure he had all he needed.

"I don't get why you have to run off and practice alone," Tsukishima pouted, doing his best to seem uninterested and just bothered.

"I've told you, it won't be a surprise if you watch me practice," Yamaguchi retorted with a pout.

Tsukishima, stubborn as always, refused to look at his pouting best friend. He mumbled something along the lines of 'I don't see why it has to be a surprise for me.' Before choking out a muffled "Whatever."

"Eevee already ate and is napping now. Just watch her and comfort her if she gets scared," Yamaguchi carried on, glancing at a nearby tree where Eevee slept snuggled close to Salazzle. A moment of worry hung over him at the thought of leaving Eevee alone.

"She'll be fine, Yamaguchi. Just go practice," Tsukishima cut in before Yamaguchi's worry grew. "I swear the way you spoil that Eevee, she is going to grow up to be a brat."

"She is just a baby," Yamaguchi defended weakly, thought deep down he had moment of doubt. He often worried he coddled Eevee too much as well.

Noticing the look of worry in Yamaguchi's brow Tsukishima released a small sigh. "Just go practice, Eevee will be fine. I promise," he earnestly prompted.

"R-Right," Yamaguchi stuttered with a shake of his head. "I'll be back in just a few hours," as Yamaguchi said this his eyes lingered on the sleeping Eevee.

"Go! Yamaguchi," Tsukishima reiterated with a bit of frustration. "She will be fine."

"Okay, okay," Yamaguchi quickly replied before stumbled into the forest.

All the while Tsukishima watched his clumsy friend enter the forest and barely missed knocking into a low hanging branch. As Yamaguchi clumsily disappeared from view, Tsukishima released a small sigh. With the camp much quieter, Tsukishima turned his attention to his headphones and a book on Pokemon fossils. Enjoying the quiet, he made himself comfortable next to Salazzle and Eevee.

At some point Tsukishima had dozed off. How long he had dozed off he did not know. What he did know was that suddenly he was being very rudely awaken by a slap to the face by Salazzling whip like tail.

"What the-!" Tsukishima sputtered as his book fell from his chest to the floor. "Salazzle!" he snapped glaring at the lizard.

Tsukishima was surprised to find Salazzle looking quite frantic. It only took Tsukishima a moment to figure out why. Eevee was gone. Tsukishima felt his heart stop.

"Where is she?" Tsukishima asked as his whole body went cold. Salazzle looked to him in equal look of terror and worry. A thousand things ran through Tsukishima's head, all of them filling him with emotions he often tried to hide. "We have to find her now!" Tsukishima demanded. Salazzle nodded in agreement.

Without missing a beat, Tsukishima called out his other two Pokemon. Snivy and Bagon both looked around the camp in mild confusion upon being called on so suddenly. They turned and straighten up quickly as the look of urgency on their master's face.

"Eevee is gone and we have to find her before Yamaguchi get's back," Tsukishima said in a surprisingly calm voice. It took every last ounce of his effort not to panic and to keep his cool. It set his heart cold to think of what Yamaguchi would do if he came back to find Eevee gone. A cold feeling of disappointment washed over Tsukishima as this thought passed.

Upon seeing their trainers dire expression, all three of Tsukishima's pokemon nodded in understanding. Tsukishima was doing a stellar job at sounding calm but they could tell that there master was anything but that at the moment.

"She couldn't have gone far. If we split up we should be able to find her!" Tsukishima spoke in a mostly steady voice with only his hands shaking. "Salazzle you come with me, Bagon, Snivy, give a signal if you find her."

The three Pokemon did not need to be told any more. With nods of confirmation, Pokemon and master all entered the woods in search of the missing Eevee. All the while, Tsukishima prayed that Yamaguchi did not come back early.

With his heart racing and his body heated with adrenaline, Tsukishima raced through the woods. By his side, Salazzle hunted around just as feverishly. Every few moments a wave of self hatred and disappointment washed over Tsukishima. He knew how important Eevee was to Yamaguchi. How could he have let this happen? How could he face Yamaguchi if Eevee was not found.

Anytime Tsukishima's self doubt began to blind him, Salazzle did well to regain his attention to the matter at hand. They could not allow themselves to be distracted in this moment. They had to stay focused for Eevee and for Yamaguchi.

The two had only been searching for a good five minutes when the heard it. A blood curdling scream.

"EEEEEVEEEEEE!"

"That was Eevee!" Tsukishima gasped as he turned in the direction of the cry. Without another word, trainer and pokemon hauld-ass in that direction.

Tsukishima and Salazzle exploded through the forest into a clearing that held a crystal clear pond. Like a small island, in the middle of a pond sat a large jagged rock and stuck to that rock was a very terrified Eevee. Tsukishima squinted as he realized that the substance holding Eevee wasn't string shot, as he had suspected, but something else. It looked frothy and fluffy and almost made of bubbles.

Eevee gave a weak cry as she looked to Tsukishima pleading for him to save her. Tsukishima didn't have much time to act on the small cried of the Eevee for in that moment something came down fast from the trees, narrowly missing Tsukishima and Salazzle. Jumping back Tsukishima looked up to see that the attacker was a Frogadier.

"What the fuck?" Tsukishima grumbled as he sized up the Pokemon.

The Frogadier almost smiled at Tsukishima and Salazzle as he too sized them up. There was a glint in his eye that almost challenged them to make a move. Tsukishima studied the frog Pokemon to find that it had a large scar over it's left eye. The cut looked old and gave a very rugged look to the Frogadier.

Frogadier gave a low challenging growl as it once again beckoned Salazzle to make a move. Tsukishima nodded hoping Salazzle would distract the oversized frog while he freed Eevee. Salazzle gave a nod before hissing at Frogadier. Tsukishima, in the meantime, scooted around towards the pond. Unfortunately for him, Frogadier had other plans.

The frog sent a strong and fast stream of water right for Tsukishima that narrowly missed him.

"Looks like we don't have any other choice," Tsukishima sighed in annoyance. He had wanted to avoid a battle. Salazzle had the type disadvantage. "Salazzle, Poison Gas!" Tsukishima commanded.

Salazzle moved quickly sending a puff of gas right for Frogadier. The attack directly his but Frogadier didn't seemed fased. Moving quickly Frogadier landed a perfectly executed quick attack on Salazzle. Eevee cried out in worry as she watched her favorite babysitter take a direct hit.

"Salazzle, Double slap!" Tsukishima shouted, all the while scooting his way towards the lake to get to Eevee.

Salazzle moved fast to land direct hits on Frogadier. It was almost as if Frogadier wasn't trying to dodge. Like he wanted to take the hits head on. Frogadier gave a satisfied grunt before landing a critical pound on Salazzle head.

Tsukishima gave a grun of frustration before commanding "Poison Gas again!"

Salazzle, still quite close to Frogadier, spat a puff of gas right into the frogs face. Frogadier staggered back as he coughed painfully.

"Double slap again, Salazzle!" Tsukishima shouted.

As Salazzle landed her first hit Frogadier retaliated with a Water Pulse that caused Salazzle to fall to the floor. Eevee cried out in utter worry as she watched Salazzle struggle to get up.

Tsukishima cured under his breath. They couldn't give up yet. "Dragon Rage, now!" Tsukishima commanded. "Do it for Eevee!" He added in hope it would encourage Salazzle to pull through.

With a maternal glint in her eye Salazzle pulled herself up. Frogadier gave an almost satisfied grumble, happy to see that the battle wasn't over yet. Salazzle charged Frogadier only for Frogadier to charge in return. With a blue fire charging in Salazzle throat and a large ball of rushing water gathering in Frogadier hands the two Pokemon rushed toward one another. As the two attacks hit head on, both Pokemon flew back and landed hard on the floor. Once again Eevee cried for Salazzle to get up.

Tsukishima watched in silence as neither Pokemon moved. A beat passed before one of Frogadier's fingers gave a twitch. In what was probably the closest thing to panic Tsukishima had ever felt he pulled an empty Ultra Ball from his pocket and tossed it at Frogadier.

The ball swallowed up the frog Pokemon. Its light flashed three times before locking with a click. With wide eyes Tsukishima stared at the ball unsure if that all had just happened. It was a small whimpering cry from Eevee that brought Tsukishima back. With a shake of his head, Tsukishima rushed into the pond to free Eevee.

The water reaching just knees, Tsukishima waded to where Eevee was stuck to the rock. The bubbly substance holding Eevee was tangled in her fluffy fur. It took Tsukishima several minutes to free the frightened Eevee and the moment she was free she rushed down Tsukishima's shirt and stayed there as a quivering mess.

Tsukishima held her close as he made his way out of the pond. He felt guilty for allowing any of this to happen. Once out of the pond, Tsukishima collected his newly caught Pokemon before addressing Salazzle. The large lizard was only just coming to when Tsukishima crouched down beside her.

"Great work," Tsukishima hummed as he stroked her head.

Salazzle gave a tried hiss of satisfaction. Upon hearing this, Eevee popped her head out of Tsukishima's shirt. She gave a small trill before jumping out and snuggling close to her saviour. Salazzle gave another happy hiss as she and Eevee nuzzled noses. Tsukishima allowed the two the moment of comfort before recalling Salazzle to her ball.

Eevee gave a small sad cry as her favorite babysitter disappeared into the pokeball. Tsukishima didn't waste time to scoop Eevee up. Eevee allowed him to do so, but turned to look Tsukishima in the eyes, sending him a very appealing gaze before her eyes wandered to Tsukishima's shirt collar.

"No," Tsukishima grumbled.

"Veee!" Eevee pleaded in the most pathetic squeak Tsukishima had ever heard.

Tsukishima made the mistake of looking into Eevee's watery eyes. His resolve melted away almost immediately. "Fine," he sighed as he used one finger to lift his shirt collar open.

With a happy trill, Eevee burrowed down Tsukishima's shirt. Trilling once more, she settled close to Tsukishima's chest.

"Spoiled brat," Tsukishima mumbled as he gently held Eevee close. He then made his way back to the campsite.

By the time Tsukishima arrive back, Snivy and Baygon had returned. Both were pleased to see Eevee had been found and that their master wasn't a panicked mess. Tsukishima removed his wet clothes before settling back into the camp with his team. He decided to leave Frogadier in his ball for the time being.

After giving Salazzle a potion to help pep her up, he made himself comfortable under a large tree to feed Eevee her mid-day snack. Salazzle sat protectively close as Eevee fed. As he cradled the snoozing Eevee he refused to admit how utterly adorable Eevee really was.

Several hours passed before Yamaguchi arrived back to the camp. The sun was close to setting and miraculously Tsukishima had been able to brush Eevee's fur clean of Frogadier's sticky gunk. Eevee had been adamant about sleeping down Tsukishima's shirt which Yamaguchi found to be adorable.

"Looks like she had warmed up to you while I was gone," Yamaguchi joked as he sat close to Tsukishima.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Tsukishima replied as he made to fish Eevee from his shirt.

"She seems so attached to you now," Yamaguchi pointed as he saw Eevee resist leaving Tsukishima's shirt. Part of him wondered if it was really as comfortable and inviting as Eevee made it look. Betraying him, his cheeks went pink at the thought.

"You spoil her too much," Tsukishima hummed as he successfully fished Eevee out. With Eevee still half asleep, he handed her off to Yamaguchi.

"I Do not," Yamaguchi replied with a pout as he possessively scooped Eevee up.

Upon being reunited with her mommy, Eevee gave the happiest of trills either of them had ever heard. She took not time into burrowing down Yamaguchi's shirt and falling back to sleep.

"Spoiled," Tsukishima taunted with a smirk.

"She's just a baby," Yamaguchi retorted in defence.

Tsukishima sent him an unconvinced look that causing Yamaguchi to playfully bump shoulders with him.

"You three all seem so exhausted," Yamaguchi pointed out as he looked from Salazzle to Tsukishima. "Did I miss something?"

Tsukishima looked long and hard at Yamaguchi. "Nope, didn't miss a thing," Tsukishima replied, looking away from Yamaguchi and leaning back on the tree.

Yamaguchi studied Tsukishima. He could tell that something must have gone down for everyone seemed worn out. He considered heckling his friends before something odd caught his eyes. Yamaguchi had not noticed that Tsukishima was currently wearing a new pair of clothes. The clothes he had worn for earlier in the day were soaking wet and currently hung from a few long tree branches.

"Tsukki, why are your clothes all wet?" Yamauchi asked in uncertainty.

Tsukishima did not reply. He pretended to have fallen asleep. Yamaguchi knew well that Tsukishima was not sleeping. He had seen his friend asleep on several occasions and knew when Tsukishima was faking. Yamaguchi pouted for only a moment before shrugging it off. Eevee seemed happy and beside the wet clothes the camp seemed in place.

Yamaguchi shook his confusion as he allowed himself to snuggle up with Eevee. He and Popplio had practiced hard. Their routine was almost down. With a few more days of practice he and Popplio would be more than ready. With his heart at ease and mind clam, Yamaguchi leaned against Tsukishima's shoulder and fell into a comfortable snooze, completely unaware of what had gone down in his absence.

So, what did you all think of the Tsukki centric chapter? It was oodles of fun to write! You can expect more in the future as well. I wonder if Yamaguchi will ever figure out what went down while he was away? Will they ever reunite with Kuroo again? How is Yamaguchi's routine really coming along? That and more will be answered in the chapters to come.

I am unsure if next weekend we will be getting a chapter. I will be traveling and I am unsure if my beta reader will be free with the holidays and all. You can definitely expect a chapter next next week for sure. Just wanted to give you all a heads up on that!

Thank you to everyone who has left me kudos, follows, bookmarks, reviews and comments. Feedback from you all is always a wonderful gift. I really like to know what you think of the chapters and fic as a whole so drop me a thought if you can.

Have a happy holiday everyone! See you next chapter!


	21. An Injured Stranger

Hey all! Happy New Year! I hope you are met with all the luck and fortune this year. To celebrate the new year here is chapter 21. Let's see what is in store for Yamaguchi and Tsukishima this time!

My norml beta reader is back! As always they did such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Without further ado, Chapter 21!

An Injured Stranger

Yamaguchi had no clue where Frogadier had come from. Tsukki hadn't even told him that he had caught a new Pokemon. When Yamaguchi went to feed the Pokemon the evening he'd asked Tsukki to watch Eevee, he was surprised to find one more mouth to feed. The first thing Yamaguchi noticed about Frogadier was that Eevee was terrified of him.

Eevee was a very timid soul, but her fear of Frogadier was on a level that baffled Yamaguchi. Upon sight of Frogadier, the small shiny Pokemon would high tail it down Yamaguchi's shirt, scratching up his chest in her horrified frenzy. Once down his shirt, it was next to impossible to get her out without ripping his clothes off. All the while, Frogadier didn't pay any mind to Eevee whatsoever.

The next thing Yamaguchi noticed was how aggressive Salazzle was towards her new teammate. The black lizard wasted no time in hissing at Frogadier any time both of them were out of their Pokeballs. It got so bad at dinner that both Pokemon had to be fed on opposite sides of the camp. Salazzle was normally so easygoing towards other Pokemon, so it concerned him to see her react so aggressively. All the while, Tsukishima insisted that Yamaguchi shouldn't worry about it, and that he would take care of the two in due time.

Frogadier was extremely standoffish towards everyone in the small camp. He paid very little mind to all other Pokemon and if anyone other than Tsukishima so much as approached him, he would shoot them with his sticky bubbly foam. Yamaguchi was far toe startled by Frogadier's aggressive ways to feed the Pokemon himself, insisting that Tsukishima pass off the food to the grumpy frog.

Many times, Yamaguchi had asked Tsukishima where and when he'd caught Frogadier, but Tsukishima always brushed off the question or gave vague answers.

"Have you had him this whole time, or did you catch him while I was training?" Yamaguchi would ask as he side eyed the crabby frog.

"Sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you over my music," Tsukishima would mumble in reply, not bothering to look up from his book.

By the next day, Yamaguchi had given up on asking Tsukki where Frogadier had come from. Yamaguchi knew Tsukki better than anyone, and Tsukki would tell him when he was ready.

As Yamaguchi cleaned up their lunch, he tentatively watched as Popplio did her best to befriend Frogadier. As she had done many time before, she approached the frog, blowing a few playful bubbles. As always, Frogadier would pop the bubbles, shoot Popplio with a bit of foam and then hop up into a tree to get away.

Yamaguchi released a sigh as he gave his head a small shake. Popplio was relentless and would surely win over Frogadier eventually. Sometimes, he envied Popplio's ability to never give up.

Before long, the camp was packed up from lunch, and Yamaguchi was ready to practice his routine for the day. "Popplio and I are going to head into the woods to practice some more, do you mind watching Eevee for me?" Yamaguchi asked as he passed off a drowsy Eevee to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima, who had been reading from his tablet, nodded slowly as he took the baby Pokemon without so much as looking up from his article. "How long will you be out?" Tsukishima asked as Eevee settled into his lap.

"I'll be back in enough time to make us dinner," Yamaguchi vaguely replied.

"If you need the time to practice, I can cook tonight," Tsukishima offered, glancing from his article to Yamaguchi.

"No, it's fine. I have a new recipe I want to try tonight," Yamaguchi insisted, not wanting to pawn off all his responsibilities on Tsukki.

Tsukishima looked at Yamaguchi for a long moment, as if to say it wouldn't be a problem, but said nothing. Yamaguchi gave a small smile in reply before turning on his heels to find Popplio. The small seal was still at the base of the tree Frogadier had fled into looking up into the branches.

"Come on Popplio, time for practice," Yamaguchi prompted as he headed into the woods away from the camp.

With a dissatisfied bark, Popplio looked at the tree one last time before following after Yamaguchi.

"Frogadier might come around to you faster if you gave him just a little space," Yamaguchi hummed as he ducked through the woods, seeking out a spot to practice.

Popplio gave a small bark of disagreement from Yamaguchi's heels.

"If you say so," Yamaguchi shrugged as they both came across a clearing with just enough space for them to practice their routine. "This should do," Yamaguchi nodded as he looked over the small clearing.

Popplio barked in agreeance as she jumped to center.

"Let's start from the top, shall we," Yamaguchi hummed as he fiddled with his Z-ring. The Waterium Z shone brightly under the rays of light that filtered through the treetops.

Popplio gave another small bark as she positioned herself where she needed to be.

It wasn't long before the two sprung into action. Both trainer and Pokemon spun and twirled through fountains of water to the tune of an island song Yamaguchi had listened to since he was a small child. For his first ever showcase, Yamaguchi had decided to bring a little bit of Alola to Kalos. Since it was his first performance he wanted to start out with something he knew. Most might consider going with something you know not challenging oneself, but the act of doing a showcase in the first place was enough of a challenge for Yamaguchi. He just hoped his routine would be enough to win him his first Key.

Yamaguchi found that time passed quickly when practicing. The day before, he hadn't meant to stay out as late as he had. He and Popplio had gotten so caught up that they hadn't realized it was close to evening until the sun began to set. Today, time also passed in the same manner, but Yamaguchi did well to watch the sun so as to not be so late.

A few hours into their practice, Yamaguchi felt a very familiar feeling. He stopped abruptly, mid-twirl, to look high into the trees. It had to have been his imagination. His sudden stop had caused Popplio to run right into him, soaking them both in her aqua jet.

"Ack!" Yamaguchi grunted as he fell to the ground in a wet heap.

Popplio barked apologetically from atop him.

"No, it's my fault for stopping mid-dance," Yamaguchi said as he gave Popplio's head a small scratch. He looked back up to the tree. "I thought I saw something…"

Popplio barked in confusion as she too looked up into the branches.

Nothing was there. Perhaps the Yamask incident was still haunting him without him realizing.

"It's nothing," Yamaguchi insisted as he gave Popplio's head a small pat. "Let get back to practicing."

With a happy bark from Popplio, the two started once again from the beginning.

Damp, sweaty and tired, it was late, almost evening when Yamaguchi and Popplio stopped for the day. Both trainer and Pokemon had been able to perform the routine several time with little trouble. "All we need to do is synchronize that Z move and we will be all set," Yamaguchi said with a large satisfied stretch.

Popplio barked in joyful agreement.

"Now how about we-" Yamaguchi began.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

A loud shriek cut through the forest catching both Popplio and Yamaguchi off guard. Several Pidgey and Fletching took flight at the sound. Unconsciously, Yamaguchi scooped up Popplio and held her tight.

"What was that?" Yamaguchi barely got out as he turned to face where the yell had come from. Still mildly shocked, he nearly jumped out of his pants as the shriek sounded again.

"Ahhhh! Help!"

Yamaguchi looked to Popplio in shock. "That isn't a Pokemon…"

"Someone, please!"

With shaky knees, Yamaguchi jumped into action. He made for the direction of the distress call. His mind raced as he tripped through the woods. Part of him wanted to turn back and get Tsukki, as Yamaguchi was in no condition to fight. But at the same time, the person sounded quite distressed.

Breaking through the woods, Yamaguchi found himself on the main trail toward the next town. He looked up and down the trail for the source of the scream and found that only a few meters away sat someone beside the bath. He looked a moment more to find that the person was quite alone. Without another moment's hesitation he approached the trainer.

Yamaguchi was surprised to find that the distressed stranger was a girl. She had short dark hair and large eyelashes that framed watery brown eyes. She wore a light blue tank top and tan shorts. Upon her back was a large tan backpack. She gave a small whimper as she saw Yamaguchi approaching. She looked quite spooked.

"Oh, thank Arceus, someone was nearby," the girl almost cried.

"A-Are you okay?" Yamaguchi awkwardly asked as he looked over the stranger.

"It's my ankle," the girl explained as she looked to her right foot.

Yamaguchi followed her gaze to find the ankle to be quite swollen. His brow furrowed in concern as he kneeled down beside her.

"Something came out from behind me and pushed me down," the girl whimpered. "I must have twisted it during the fall."

"Yeah. It looks pretty bad," Yamaguchi hummed as he examined the swelling. "The nearest Pokemon center is quite a ways off, but my friend and I have set up camp around here, and we have a first aid kit there."

"Would that be okay?" The girl tentatively asked.

"Not a problem," Yamaguchi insisted. He couldn't just leave the girl abandoned on the side of the road. "Here, let me help you up," He carried on as he motioned for the girl to use him as a crutch.

"Oh, thank you so much," The girl blubbered as she slung an arm around Yamaguchi's shoulder. "You are so kind."

Yamaguchi silently brushed off the compliment. He was just doing what anyone would have done.

On three, the two hoisted up into a standing position. What Yamaguchi didn't expect was for the girl to be just as tall as he was, but he did his best to hid his shock. He had never met a girl this tall before.

"You steady?" Yamaguchi asked before starting to walk.

"Yeah, I think so," the girl replied as she tested her balance. "Thanks a lot… um."

"Yamaguchi," Yamaguchi introduced as they made their way towards the camp. "Yamaguchi Tadashi."

"Thank you, Yamaguchi," The girl kindly hummed. "I'm Amanai Kanoka. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Kanoka," Yamaguchi awkwardly replied.

The walk back to the campsite was a bit of a struggle. Kanoka was much taller than Yamaguchi had anticipated, if he were to guess he'd say she was probably just a bit taller than he was. That, mixed with him trying to hide his lack of directional skills almost had the two trainers walking in circles. Fortunately for Yamaguchi, Popplio eventually took the lead guiding them back to their campsite.

Tsukishima was not in the least bit happy to find that Yamaguchi had come back with an injured girl. He said nothing, but he glared across the campsite as they emerged from the woods, and Yamaguchi knew Tsukki well enough to see that he was not in the least but pleased.

"Hello," Kanoka said as she caught sight of Tsukishima. She didn't seem to take notice of Tsukishima's deep scowl. "My name is Kanoka Amanai… Sorry to intrude."

Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi as if he were asking what the heck he was thinking.

"She sprained her ankle," Yamaguchi explained as he silently pleaded for Tsukki to at least try to be polite. "That's Tsukishima, the travel partner I told you about," Yamaguchi quietly added.

Tsukishima released a small huff as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Yamaguchi was often far too kind for his own good.

Kanoka seemed to be picking up on the mild tension coming from the blond trainer. "If there is a problem-"

"No, no! There's no problem," Yamaguchi quickly insisted. "Here, come and sit down by the fire," he motioned as he helped her over to the small fire in the middle of the clearing.

With a shuffle here, a grunt there, and extra support from Salazzle, Kanoka was able to make herself comfortable beside the fire. Once the girl was settled beside the fire, Salazzle sitting beside her for extra support, Yamaguchi made for the first aid kit. He could feel Tsukki's eyes on him the whole time. He knew better than anyone that Tsukki strongly disliked surprise visitors, but he chose to ignore his best friend for now.

With the first-aid kit in hand, Yamaguchi made his way back to Kanoka. Crouching down, he slowly eased her shoe from her foot. Kanoka only whimpered once as her foot popped from the shoe. Yamaguchi gently examined the injured foot, releasing a slow, thoughtful hum.

"I'm no doctor, but it doesn't look as bad as I thought it was," Yamaguchi said, looking from the foot to its owner.

"Well, that's good to hear," Kanoka laughed, there was an edge of nerve to her as she did so. "How long do you think it will be before I can walk?"

By this time Tsukishima had moved over to the two. He leaned over Yamaguchi to get a look at the injured foot for himself. "It barely looks injured," He replied before Yamaguchi could.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi scolded as he frowned up at his best friend.

Tsukishima did not look sorry for his unnecessary comment.

"If we wrap it up tightly, maybe it will be okay to walk on by tomorrow," Yamaguchi said, turning his attention back to Kanoka. "We can help you to the closest Pokemon center tomorrow. We are heading that direction anyways."

"Oh no, you two don't have to do that," Kanoka gasped, though she looked as if she wanted to say yes to the offer.

"It wouldn't be a problem at all," Yamaguchi insisted. "Right, Tsukki?"

"Whatever…" Tsukishima pouted in reply, turning his attention away from the two.

"Well, if it's not too much of a bother, thank you," Kanoka smiled shyly as she accepted the offer.

Yamaguchi, with eventual help from Tsukki, did his best to patch Kanoka up. It wasn't long before her foot was bandaged and was being iced, compliments of a well-executed ice beam from Kanoka's blue Gastrodon. While patching her up, the tension in the campsite subsided significantly. Kanoka was a very kind and friendly girl. She was easy to talk with and reminded Yamaguchi of Yachi if she were a less nervous person.

"So, you're a showcase performer?" Kanoka asked.

"Yeah, I plan to do my first performance in a few days," Yamaguchi replied with a nervous smile.

"Wow, that's so soon!" Kanoka gasped. "You must be so nervous. I know I would be, if I were you."

"Yeah, I'm somehow keeping it together," Yamaguchi sheepishly admitted. It was easy for him to talk about his upcoming showcase while sitting in the woods. He had a sinking feeling he wouldn't be so calm once arriving to the showcase itself.

"What about you, Tsukishima? Are you also in to showcases?" Kanoka asked, leaning over to look at Tsukishima, who was sitting on the other side of Yamaguchi.

"Pokemon league," Tsukishima bluntly replied. He was now talking with Kanoka, but still held a hint of bitterness to himself in the moment.

"Oh, you're in the league, too?" Kanoka gasped, leaning over more. "How many badges do you have? I only have two."

"Same here," Tsukishima replied with a frown.

"Where are you guys headed for your 3rd badge?" Kanoka asked with a shine in her eyes.

Tsukishima gave a silent shrug, not looking at either Kanoka or Yamaguchi.

"Cyllage City Gym," Yamaguchi replied in Tsukki's stead.

"No way! That is where I'm going, too," Kanoka gasped. "What a small world."

"Small world indeed," Tsukishima mumbled.

"Well in that case, would it be a problem if I tagged along with you two?" Kanoka asked as she twittled her fingers in her lap. She only glanced at Tsukishima before settling her eyes on Yamaguchi.

"Well-" Yamaguchi started before being rudely cut off.

"We aren't going straight to Cyllage City from here," Tsukishima cut in very abruptly.

"Y-You're not?" Kanoka asked, looking to Tsukishima. Tsukishima sent her an uninviting stare before Kanoka sent her gaze on Yamaguchi for explanation.

"Well, we are going to stop in at Camphrier Town for a few days for a showcase I am going to participate in," Yamaguchi explained, shooting Kanoka a very sorry look.

"Wow, really? And it's your first one, right?" Kanoka hummed in a mix of excitement and nerves. "I'd love to come and cheer you on," She insisted, leaning in to Yamaguchi's bubble just a bit. "As a thank you for helping me!"

"Well, if you want to, you're more than welcome to come along, I guess," Yamaguchi shrugged as he ignored Tsukishima's fiery glare.

"I promise I won't get in your way," Kanoka smiled.

Tsukishima shot up from where he stood so quickly that both Kanoka and Yamaguchi toppled over. "A word, Yamaguchi… In private" Tsukishima hissed, not even looking down at his best friend.

"O-Okay, Tsukki," Yamaguchi slowly replied as he stood. He knew well what Tsukki was going to say. He gave Kanoka a 'don't worry' look before following after his best friend.

Once they were a distance from the campfire Tsukishima released a very exasperated sigh as he turned on Yamaguchi. He looked to his friend in silent frustration, waiting for an explanation.

"Tsukki, we can't just tell her no," Yamaguchi defended as quietly as he could. "It would be rude, and we are going in the same direction so it would also be awkward."

"So, we are just going to let anyone join that is heading in the same direction as we are?" Tsukishima half hissed, half snapped.

"You're being dramatic, Tsukki," Yamaguchi retorted in a hiss of his own. "It's obvious that Kanoka is nothing like Hinata or Kuroo, so I don't know why you're so upset. You're not even giving her a chance."

Tsukishima puffed up his chest as if he wanted to say something back but all he did was glare at Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi knew Tsukishima well, and he knew it wasn't Kanoka that was upsetting him so much. She was just an innocent bystander.

"I get it," Yamaguchi carried on as he rested a hand upon Tsukishima's arm. "Kuroo just left us a day ago, and three is a crowd, but I highly doubt Kanoka will be following us for too long. Probably just until we get to Cyllage City."

Tsukishima breathed in deeply through his nose before releasing it all through his mouth. As he did so much of his tension went with it. "Fine. But if she gets annoying she's out, got it!"

"Sounds like a deal," Yamaguchi sighed. He sometimes forgot how difficult his best friend could be.

"Is everything okay?" Kanoka called from beside the fireplace.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Yamaguchi called back, returning to the campsite. All the while, Tsukishima's golden eyes followed after him.

"Did I upset him?" Kanoka tentatively asked as Yamaguchi took his seat.

"What? Tsukki? Upset? No!" Yamaguchi brushed off probably a bit too earnestly. "He's just shy is all," he lied, his voice cracking a bit.

"Oh, I didn't take him for the shy type" Kanoka hummed as she looked to where Tsukki now stood picking up a sleeping Eevee from a sleeping Salazzle.

"He gets a little standoffish when meeting new people, but once you get to know him, Tsukki really is the best person ever," Yamaguchi insisted, this time in pure honesty.

"I can hear you talking about me!" Tsukishima snapped as he cradled Eevee in his arms.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi giggled.

"Well, you two seem like really good friends," Kanoka chortled.

"If you two are done talking about me, I'm starting to get hungry," Tsukishima cut in as both Yamaguchi and Kanoka stifled a laugh. "And so are our Pokemon," he added, passing off Eevee to Yamaguchi.

"Right, I'll feed everyone their dinners and then I'll start on ours," Yamachi replied as he took Eevee into his arms. With a sleepy trill, Eevee snuggled close to Yamaguchi, happy to have him back by her side again.

As Yamaguchi fed Eevee from the bottle, Kanoka gushed over how cute the off-colored Eevee was. Yamaguchi was proud of his Eevee, and would've let Kanoka try feeding her if Eevee wasn't so shy. It didn't take long for Eevee to finish her meal and after passing her back off to Tsukki, he made his way to feed the rest of their crew.

"Your Pokemon are welcome to join in, if you want," Yamaguchi said as he rummaged through his bag for a can of his fresh homemade Pokemon food. "I make the food myself."

"Wow, you make your own Pokemon food?" Kanoka gasped. "I'm sure they would love to try it!"

"Well, just give me a minute to-" Yamaguchi started but cut off as he dug deeper into the bag. "That's funny… I thought the can of food was in my backpack." Yamaguchi hummed as he emerge from his bag. "Do you have it in yours, Tsukki?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Tsukishima shrugged as he allowed Eevee to tussle gently with his hand. "Take a look if you want."

Yamaguchi didn't waste time digging through Tsukki's pack. He checked every nook and cranny, but no can of Pokemon food could be found.

"That's so odd. I swear I packed it last night after making it," Yamaguchi hummed in mind frustration. "Do you think I left it at the Pokemon center?"

"Maybe?" Tsukishima shrugged.

"I guess I must have," Yamaguchi deflated.

"It's no big deal, Yamaguchi. One night of berries and table scraps won't kill them," Tsukishima sighed in his best attempt to comfort Yamaguchi. It was a little rough around the edges but Yamaguchi appreciated the effort.

"Sorry, Kanoka, but it looks like I forgot the homemade food at the last Pokemon center we were at," Yamaguchi sighed.

"Oh well, I have extra of my own. I don't mind sharing it," Kanoka kindly offered. "Since you're allowing me to travel with you and all."

"I'll pay you back at the next Pokemon center," Yamaguchi agreed, despite how bad he felt.

"No need to," Kanoka insisted. "Tonight's meal is my treat."

"Well, thank you then," Yamaguchi replied with a worried smile. It had been ages since any of his Pokemon had eaten store-bought food, so he just hoped they'd eat it. He just couldn't help but wonder where his food had gone, as he distinctly remembered packing it.

Oh my! I wonder what happened to the can of missing Pokemon food? Will we ever find out? What about Kanoka? I wonder what she is going to bring to the mix. Yama's showcase practice is well on it's way. Just a few more days and we'll get to see how ready he really is! We can find out all this and with the next chapters.

So next weekend I am unsure if I will be getting a chapter out. I'm still traveling so we will have to see what sort of time I have. After next weekend things should be back to normal for the most part and chapters should come out regularly.

Thank you all so much for your kind kudos, bookmarks, follows and comments/reviews. Feedback is always a great way to fuel my writing tank. I would love to hear from you guys. Your thoughts and such so please drop a comment or review if you have time.

Well that is all for now! See you next Chapter.


	22. The Intruder

Hey all! Here is Chapter 22 ready for you to read. I hope you are ready for some fun drama. I was surprised to see so many comments about Kanoka. I wonder if she really is someone to be wear of or if she is just a friendly trainer along for the ride.

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

All right! Let's read chapter 22!

The Intruder

"Thank you both so much for letting me camp with you two last night!" Kanoka gushed as the three trainers woke the next morning.

"Well, we couldn't just leave you there," Yamaguchi brushed off. "And besides, if we hadn't helped you out then our Pokemon would have been without food," he added as he passed Kanoka a breakfast pastry he'd made a few days before.

"Last night's dinner and now this, your cooking is just amazing, Yamaguchi!" Kanoka gasped after she'd taken a large bite out of the pastry.

Yamaguchi's cheeks dusted pink from the compliment at he piped out a shy "Thanks."

"Helping you out with your Pokemon is the least I can do after how kind you've both been to me," Kanoka said, smiling at both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

"It's no big deal," Tsukishima cooly sighed, his aggressive edge gone and replaced with aloofness.

Yamaguchi grinned broadly at his best friend, which only caused Tsukishima to become more aloof, and Kanoka giggled at the interaction.

"My foot is also feeling much better now, too," Kanoka sang as she gently flexed the ankle of his injured foot. "It's not even swollen anymore."

"That's good news," Yamaguchi replied, walking over to where Kanoka sat. "Are you able to stand?"

Being so tall, it took both Yamaguchi's and Tsukishima's help to get Kanoka onto her feet. The tall girl tested the foot carefully once she was standing. "It's still a little tender, but I think I should be fine until we get to the next Pokemon center," Kanoka hummed.

"We can wrap it once more before heading out," Yamaguchi suggested as he examined the injured food from where he stood. "That should help keep it from getting too aggravated when we travel."

"Sounds like a plan," Kanoka agreed and sat back down.

"I hope we don't fall behind too much," Tsukishima sighed from the other side of the campsite. "Yamaguchi does have a deadline. Only a few more days until his showcase."

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi groaned, knowing very well his best friend was just trying to stir up trouble.

"Oh my gosh!" Kanoka gasped at the news. "I hope I don't cause you to miss the showcase!"

"Don't listen to him," Yamaguchi chuckled. "He's just being difficult."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima grumbled.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied, none too sorry.

Both looked at each other from across the camp site. Tsukishima sent Yamaguchi a sassy cocked eyebrow while Yamaguchi returned with a dopey grin. With an exaggerated roll of his eyes and a failed attempt to hide a smile of his own, Tsukishima returned to packing his bag. Another chuckled left Yamaguchi's throat at he watched Tsukishima pack. His best friend really was something else.

"We'll head out once everything is packed," Yamaguchi said, turning to Kanoka.

"Sounds good to me!" she smiled.

It wasn't long before the group of three were on the road. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi took turns helping Kanoka walk or carrying Eevee down their shirts. Yamaguchi was still impressed at how quickly Eevee and Tsukki had bonded, but was grateful since it was a lot easier doing things around the camp now that Eevee seemed at peace with Tsukki. It almost felt like Yamaguchi was Eevee's mother and Tsukki her father. Any time this crossed Yamaguchi's mind his cheeks would go bright red and catch the attention of everyone around him.

At the moment, Tsukishima lead the group, walking a few paces ahead of Yamaguchi and Kanoka. With Kanoka balancing herself on Yamaguchi's shoulder, Yamaguchi couldn't help but look ahead at his best friend. Currently, Tsukishima held Eevee in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder and her face nuzzling into Tsukki's neck. Eevee looked so warm and comfortable with her little nose buried deep into the crevice of Tsukki's neck, just behind his ear.

For a quick moment, Yamaguchi wondered what it felt like to cuddle so close to Tsukki like that. His eyes zeroed in on the crook of Tsukki's neck as the thought passed. An odd fluttery feeling spread from his chest to every tip of his body, and his eyes looked on as if in a trance. Tsukki smelled good, and his skin looked so soft and inviting. Eevee looked safe in his strong arms. A moment of want rushed through Yamaguchi's body.

"Hey, Yamaguchi, are you okay?" Kanoka asked from beside him.

"Ack- What?" Yamaguchi sputtered and almost tripped over his own feet.

"Ah!" Kanoka squeaked as Yamaguchi almost pulled them both to the forest floor.

"What the-?" Tsukishima grumbled, turning around to find the two teetering on tiptoes.

Fortunately for both Yamaguchi and Kanoka, they were able to catch themselves, just barely.

"S-Sorry," Yamaguchi sputtered as he regained his footing.

"What happened? Did you trip over a rock or something?" Tsukishima mumbled, slightly annoyed.

"Well, Yamaguchi was all zoned out staring at-" Kanoka started innocently.

"I was just zoned out, that's all!" Yamaguchi cut in quickly. He followed up with a small nervous chuckle as both Tsukishima and Kanoka looked at him oddly. "I was… thinking about my showcase," Yamaguchi lied, refusing to look Tsukki directly in the eye as he did so.

"Oh, yeah, sometimes I get like that before a gym battle," Kanoka laughed, taking the bait.

Tsukishima, on the other hand, did not seem convinced, and eyed Yamaguchi suspiciously. Yamaguchi made the mistake of looking at him, causing his cheeks to go bright red as he tried to ignore Tsukki's neck and Eevee, who was still nuzzled close to him. He gave a small cough as he looked away, doing his best to fight the burning he felt in his face.

"If you're getting tired or something, we can switch," Tsukishima slowly spoke as he eyed both Yamaguchi and Kanoka. He wore a heavy frown on his face.

"I-I'm fine," Yamaguchi insisted in a broken voice that was still recovering from his embarrassment.

"Sorry if I'm too heavy," Kanoka sighed, causing Yamaguchi to almost jump. He had almost forgotten she was even there.

"Here, you take Eevee," Tsukishima commanded as he passed Eevee off to Yamaguchi. "I'll take a turn helping Kanoka. I'm taller so it will be easier." Tsukki was never this compliant when helping strangers.

"I… okay," Yamaguchi mumbled as he took Eevee in his arms. He felt another odd, this time unpleasant, feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched Tsukishima wrap an arm around Kanoka's shoulder. He held Eevee close, allowing her to nuzzle into his cheek as he tried to ignore the feeling.

"Sorry," Kanoka said from beside Tsukki. "I never meant to cause such an inconvenience," she looked genuinely regretful when she spoke.

"No, It's nothing you did," Yamaguchi insisted, feeling guilty for letting his jealousy get the better of him. "I just space out sometimes."

Kanoka sent a small but sweet smile to Yamaguchi in reply.

"Let's get a move on before it gets too late," Tsukishima cut in, taking a small step forward to coax the team to move onward.

Yamaguchi took the lead this time. There were not curves or turns on the path so he did not need to worry about leading them astray. From behind him Kanoka and Tsukki did not speak much. They were so quiet, every now and then he would look back to make sure they were still there. Kanoka would always be looking to the forest floor with obvious discomforts while Tsukki would be looking to the forest trees in mild annoyance, only to catch Yamaguchi's eyes and send him a calculating look.

It wasn't long after the switch off that something caught Yamaguchi's eyes. It was a shine just ahead on the side of the road that looked like a bit of litter, but as they approached closer the item became more familiar. Yamaguchi released a small gasp once he realized what the item was.

"It'... It can't be… can it?" Yamaguchi mumbled as he stumbled over to the shiny food tin that lay open upon the side of the road.

"What is it, Yamaguchi?" Kanoka called as she and Tsukishima made their way over from behind.

"It's… a food tin," Yamaguchi replied, picking the tin up off the floor. He examped it in his hands. It looked just like his missing food tin, except it was all scratched up and the lid missing.

Yamaguchi turned the tin around in his hands as he examined what looked to be both scratch and bite marks along the tin's smooth surface. Tsukishima and Kanoka stood behind him, mildly confused and interested. When Yamaguchi turned it over to look at the bottom he let loose another gasp, for stuck right on the bottom of the tin was a ripped label that read 'Yamagu- dashi-'.

"It can't be…" Yamaguchi mumbled as he blinked several times to be sure he wasn't seeing things. "We're hours away from our campsite."

"What is it?" Kanoka asked from behind him.

"This food tin… It's my missing food tin," Yamaguchi gasped and showed the label to Tsukishima to confirm.

"You mean the one you couldn't find from last night?" Kanoka questioned as she too looked at the label.

"Odd…" Tsukishima agreed but didn't say much more.

"How did it get all the way out here?" Yamaguchi asked as he fiddled with the gnarled tin.

"Something must have swiped it from you," Tsukishima suggested with an aloof shrug.

"Do you really think so?" Yamaguchi gasped at the idea.

"Probably a wild Pokemon," Kanoka cut in. "Wild Pokemon are known to steal food from unsuspecting trainers."

"Yeah… I guess so," Yamaguchi mumbled as he looked on at the tin in worry. "I wonder what Pokemon would've done this," he carried on, thinking of Yamask. A shiver ran down his spine and he secured his hold on Eevee.

"Well, there are scratch marks, and those bites look like something you'd find from a canine Pokemon," Kanoka wisely pointed out. "So maybe it was a Growlithe or a Lillipup or something," She shrugged.

"Do you think it could have been a Rockruff!?" Yamaguchi asked with stars in his eyes. He'd always wanted to catch a Rockruff.

"Rockruff are only found in Alola," Tsukishima bluntly replied.

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi deflated.

"Well, whatever it was, it's probably long gone," Kanoka sighed.

"As long as it's not a Yamask," Yamaguchi gave a nervous laugh and shivered.

"A Yamask?" Kanoka asked.

"Long story," Tsukishima grubled, though he seemed to share Yamaguchi's sentiment.

Yamaguchi stifled a small laugh as Kanoka looked from Tsukishima to Yamaguchi, as confused as ever.

The three trainers carried on down the forest towards the Pokemon Center they hoped to stay at for the night. Yamaguchi and Kanoka spent the rest of the walk sharing small stories about their travels thus far. Yamaguchi talked of the baking competition he competed in at the festival and Eevee's hatching, while Kanoka told a long story of how she'd become lost in the woods just outside of Route 20 but had come out with a new Pancham. All the while, Tsukki helped as Kanoka's crutch, not speaking a single word, but he seemed to be more or less content.

It wasn't long before the three arrived at the Pokemon center. It was just in time for lunch and they found themselves a nice spot in the Pokemon Center to have a quick lunch before settling in for the day.

"After lunch, I'm going to drop by the first aid center to get my foot looked at," Kanoka hummed as she munched on a rice ball.

"I'll be practicing for my showcase," Yamaguchi replied, as he held Eevee close and fed her lunch. "So, if you wouldn't mind…" He started, giving Tsukishima baby-doll eyes.

"Yeah, I'll baby sit," Tsukishima mumbled, doing his best not to blush.

"You're the best, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi smiled brightly.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima blushed, looking anywhere but his friend.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologized, his smile still big and not sorry.

"You two are so funny," Kanoka laughed as she watched the unintentional comitic act.

"What do you mean?" Yamaguchi asked, forgetting for the second time that Kanoka was even there.

"Your interactions with each other, they are just so-" Kanoka started with a school girl giggle.

"I am going to go grab a drink," Tsukishima cut in before standing up and walking off.

With a confused tilt of his head, Yamaguchi watched Tsukki walk off towards the vending machines next to the Pokemart.

"He's cute when he's shy," Kanoka hummed. When Yamaguchi turned to look at her, he was met with a giddy school girl smile.

"Y-Yeah, I guess," Yamaguchi replied, but an odd feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Why was Tsukki behaving shy like just now? It wasn't like him.

"Well, I'd better hit the first aid stand," Kanoka announced as she stuffed the last bite of her rice ball into her mouth. "Good luck with the practice."

"Th-Thanks," Yamaguchi replied, still hung up on what Kanoka had said only moments ago. He watched her walk off until she entered through the first aid door. His eyes than wandered to Eevee who lay asleep in his arms. She always got so lethargic after lunch. With a small smile on his face, he held her close in a warm snuggle. "You are quite spoiled, aren't you?" Yamaguchi cooed as he showered his Eevee with love.

"And she's only going to become more spoiled if you fold to her every whim," Tsukishima grumbled as he took his seat. Despite his sassy remark, he looked quite content as he watched both Eevee and Yamaguchi.

"I can't help it, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whispered so as to not stir Eevee. "She's just so cute."

"I wonder if you'll be thinking that when she refuses to endure other Pokemon once she's old enough," Tsukishima affectionately scoffed as he tried to sneer but failed.

Yamaguchi released a small chortle at his best friend's failed attempts at being salty. "Well, maybe you can whip her into shape while I am practicing," Yamaguchi gently laughed as he passed Eevee off to Tsukki.

"It's not my job to make sure she's well rounded," Tsukishima shot back with a playful smirk. He gently took the sleepy Eevee and allowed her to settle in his lap.

"Well, you're like a father to her," Yamaguchi accidently slipped out. He pursed his lips really fast, as his cheeks went bright red.

"If I'm the father than what does that make you?" Tsukishima asked as his cheeks dusted pink. He tried again for sass, but the burning in his ears made it hard.

"I'd best be off to train now," Yamaguchi coughed louder than he meant, ignoring Tsukki's question. "Got lots of training to do," he robotically walked towards the exit as he spoke, failing to calm the burning in his cheeks.

"Hey!" Tsukishima called after as Yamaguchi disappeared out the door. "Sometimes, I just don't know what your mother is thinking," Tsukishima mumbled as he looked to Eevee.

The sun was already setting by the time Yamaguchi arrived back from practice. Though he was tired, he wasted little time in preparing a fresh batch of Pokemon food for the group. Both Tsukishima and Kanoka insisted that Yamaguchi take a rest after such a long practice session, but Yamaguchi brushed it off saying he was fine.

"Homemade food is best for a Pokemon," Yamaguchi had argued as Tsukishima heckled him to take a rest. "I have to make sure my team is in top shape for the showcase!"

"If you overdo it you won't be in any shape for a showcase," Tsukishima argued back.

"Realx, Tsukki," Yamaguchi pressed as he worked and talked at the same time. "I'll be able to rest after I'm done. It's not that late."

"Whatever," Tsukishima sighed with a frown. "Just don't make yourself sick," he grumbled before leaving Yamaguchi to his work.

It didn't take Yamaguchi much longer than an hour to whip together a fresh batch of food, but by the time he was done he was beat. Once the food was packed away in their backpacks and he'd showered off the day's grime, he collapsed into his bed. As always, he took the bottom bunk, leaving the top for Tsukki, who was currently out with Kanoka at the Pokecenter cafeteria buying them dinner.

Slurpuff had made herself comfortable on the backpacks that had been left in the far corner of the room. Popplio had passed out cold at the foot of Yamaguchi's bed, and Eevee slept soundly in and securely in Yamaguchi's arms, who'd passed out the second his head hit the pillow. With the window cracked and the cool evening breeze blowing into the dark room, he couldn't help but to fall into a exhausted slumber.

Yamaguchi's catnap was comfortable, and he was warm under his comforter. The room was quiet and his body was exhausted in the most satisfying of ways. His sleep was so deep, even the loudest of sounds would have trouble in waking him. That's why he didn't take notice when the window creaked open. Nor did he stir when the thief entered into the room. Calculating red eyes zeroed in on Yamaguchi, watching him with much interest as he slept.

The door to the room creaked open, allowing a sliver of light in. The low mumble of Tsukishima's voice echoed from just outside the door but the stranger looked on at Yamaguchi in almost a trance. All the while, Yamaguchi slept peacefully, unaware of the any sort of drama.

A moment of silence filled the room.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima shouted as he caught sight of a small shadowy figure standing over his sleeping best friend. The light from the door just barely missed Yamauchi's bed, shrouding it in light. Tsukishima fumbled for the light switch.

"AH! What is it?" Kanoka cried out from behind Tsukki.

The creature looked from Yamaguchi to the door, releasing a small growl.

The sound of his friends yelling stirred Yamaguchi. He released a incoherent mumble as he rolled over. His mind still fogged as he cracked his eyes to see what all the commotion was about. As he blinked away his sleep, he was met by two piercing red eyes, and his breath caught in his throat as he froze on the spot.

Dun Dun Duuuuuuun! Oh my! What ever could it be looming over our Yamaguchi? Will he be okay!? Will the intruder attack!? Will Tsukki woop it's ass? Who was it that stole their food? Could this be related or a coincidence? There is only one way to find out, my readers!

Hey all! I should be getting chapter 23 out as normal next week or I will at lease do my best to. I am going to be in the process of moving soon but I am going to do my best to keep chapter updates as consistent as I can. I will let you all know if things get rocky and I need to switch to an every other week upload.

As always thank you all so much for the kind kudos, bookmarks, follows, comments and reviews. It's always a pleasure to hear from you all and feedback is the best way to get me writing. If you find yourself with time after reading please leave a comment or review and let me know what you think.

Well, that is all for now! See you next chapter!

Review Responses:

KIRIHIME - Aaaaaaawwww you are going to make me blush! Thank you so much for your support. I would add a heart emoji if I know how!


	23. Arrival to Camphrier Town

Time to find out who is creeping on Yama? YAY!

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Chapter 23, HERE WE GO!

Arrival to Camphrier Town

"Get away from him!" Yamaguchi heard Tsukki shout from the entrance. Yamaguchi lay in stunned silence, still unsure if he was dreaming or not. The red eyes of the intruder glowed as they stared down upon the shocked and groggy trainer.

A sound of rushing footsteps and the glowing eyes looked to the door. The click of the light turning on and a flash of blue streaked from Yamaguchi's bed and out the window. Still stunned, Yamaguchi sat wide-eyed in his bed as his vision became used to the sudden light. He was vaguely aware of Tsukki rushing past him and to the window.

"What the crap!?" Tsukishima growled as he scanned the dark bushes just outside their window. He scanned the area once more before shutting the window and locking it up.

"T-Tsukki? What just…" Yamaguchi mumbled as he sat up. A just as confused Eevee tumbled into his lap. "Did something sneak into our room?"

"It would seem so," Kanoka nodded as she set their dinner down on the small table by the door. She looked just as spooked as Yamaguchi did. "Do you see it out there, Tsukishima?"

"No," Tsukishima sighed in frustration. "It's gone."

A moment of silence filled the room. Yamaguchi felt thoroughly creeped out, and Kanoka looked just as bothered, if not more.

"Was… Was it… Watching me sleep?" Yamaguchi dared to ask. As the question left his mouth he felt all sorts of uneasy.

"It looked like that was what it was doing," Kanoka replied with a shiver of her own. "How creepy!"

"What was it? Did you get a look at it?" Yamaguchi asked next, his mind wandering to Yamask and it's red eyes.

"It wasn't a Yamask," Tsukishima replied, knowing where Yamaguchi's train of thought was headed. "I didn't get a good enough look at it, but I know it had legs and arms. It was running."

"And it was blue," Kanoka added. "That was all I could tell because it moved so fast."

Silence hung in the air as the three settled more into the room. Yamaguchi stayed in bed as he did his best to calm down and not let what just happened get to him. Kanoka got to divvying up their dinner. Tsukishima stood by the window, keeping a keen eye out for whatever it was.

"I wonder what it wanted…" Yamaguchi barely mumbled, his right hand gently ruffling Eevee's soft mane in an attempt to calm himself down.

"Probably food…" Kanoka shrugged, handing Yamaguchi a plate of curry rice.

"But why would it watch me?" Yamaguchi shivered as he received the plate of food.

"Maybe it didn't expect a trainer to be in the room or something?" Kanoka weakly suggested, passing a plate to Tsukki.

Tsukishima received his place. He turned and leaned against the closed window as he began on his meal. "It's gone now, so there is no need to fuss over it," he sternly instructed.

"You don't think it was the same Pokemon that went after our food from the forest, do you?" Yamaguchi asked, ignoring Tsukki. He was still too jazzed up not to fuss.

"No way," Kanoka forced a laugh. With a plate of food in hand, she now sat on the bed across from Yamaguchi. "It's probably just a coincidence, right?" She didn't sound convinced by her own words.

"Yeah, a coincidence," Yamaguchi forcefully laughed, but it petered off into a sigh.

Another silence filled the room as the three trainers ate their meal. The food did help Yamaguchi think clearly, but didn't help much in erasing the glowing red eyes from his memory. He wondered if he would ever be able to forget waking up to a stranger watching him.

"From now on, we sleep with the windows closed," Tsukishima stated as he strode across the room and placed his plate on the table. "I'm going for a walk."

"What? You can't leave with that thing out there," Yamaguchi objected almost too quickly, as he knew Tsukki was going to go poke around for the intruder.

Tsukishima stared at Yamaguchi for a long moment. His eyes were stern and distant, but still held a hint of care for his best friend. Yamaguchi gave a pleading look for Tsukki to just stay in the room.

"I won't go looking for that thing. I'm not an idiot," Tsukishima replied, once again reading his best friend's worries. "I'm just going to drop by the Pokemart."

Yamaguchi could tell it was a lie. He responded with a deep frown, but knew there was nothing he could do to stop Tsukki.

"My team will be with me if you're worried about your admirer attacking me," Tsukishima added with a large helping of sass.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi complained, unable to hide his urge to smile. Tsukki was just sometimes too much.

Tsukishima didn't smile, but he seemed pleased to find Yamaguchi less tense. "I'll be back soon," Tsukishima said before slipping out the door.

"Hey, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi called after, tripping as he stood from his bed. "You better not pick a fight with that thing!" but Tsukishima was long gone by the time he got to the door.

"He'll be fine," Kanoka laughed. "I'm sure that the intruder Pokemon is long gone by now."

"Tsukki is so stubborn sometimes," Yamaguchi sighed, mildly frustrated. "Always doing what he wants…"

"I'm sure he's just worried," Kanoka insisted with a small giggle. "You should've seen his face when we opened the door and that thing was hunched over you. He looked about ready to kill."

"Was he really that upset?" Yamaguchi blushed, not wanting to admit he was happy to hear Tsukki cared so much.

"I don't know what was scarier, him or the Pokemon," Kanoka jokes. "It's cute, how much he pretends not to care."

"Hey, don't make fun of Tsukki," Yamaguchi scolded pathetically, his face growing redder by the moment.

Kanoka just giggled at Yamaguchi's reaction, causing Yamaguchi to blush even more. Yamaguchi pouted, his meal left to the side to get cold. Despite his pout, his chest filled with warmth at the idea of Tsukki caring so much. It felt him feeling light and fluttery.

"Hey, the Pokemart is connected to the Pokemon Center, isn't it?" Kanoka asked after the giggles had worn off.

"Yeah, why?" Yamaguchi mumbled, still feeling quite embarrassed by the teasing.

As a reply Kanoka only giggled, looking to the door where Tsukki had just left.

It then dawned on Yamaguchi. He wondered if Tsukki had forgotten that the Pokemart was connected to the Pokemon Center when he'd fashioned his lie. Sometimes, Tsukki was just too much.

"I'm going to have a long talk with Tsukki when he gets back," Yamaguchi joked, doing his best impression of a disappointed parent.

This time Kanoka's giggles were accompanied by Yamaguchi's own stifled laughter. If Tsukki were to know they were poking fun at him, he'd surely migrate into the corner to frown.

It took Yamaguchi a long while to calm back down. Even after Tsukki had come back from his trip to the Poke Mart, of which he didn't come back with any items, Yamaguchi still felt uneasy. He did his best to hide it, but knew Tsukki could see right through him. As the group turned out the lights for bed, Yamaguchi felt another wave of fear wash over him.

"The window is locked. No one needs to worry," Yamaguchi heard Tsukishima's stern voice from the bunk above him.

It was oddly comforting, and in this moment Yamaguchi felt much more relaxed. The idea of Tsukki being above him helped settle his nerves. With the thought of his best friend so close, he eventually fell into a sound sleep.

It was late noon when the three travelers arrived in Camphrier Town. Yamaguchi was surprised to have arrived in the town with time to spare. He had two days before the showcase, which meant plenty of time for him to settle in and perfect his routine.

"I need to sign up for the showcase as soon as possible!" Yamaguchi explained as the three entered the very ancient looking town. With the roads made of cobblestone and many of the houses resembling huts, the town gave off a very historic feel.

"Is the sign-up location at the Pokecenter?" Kanoka asked, half addressing Yamaguchi and half admiring the old buildings.

"Let me check," Yamaguchi smiled and pulled out his Pokedex. He clicked a few buttons before it brought up a small map of the region. "Let's see," Yamaguchi hummed, the tip of his tongue just sticking out the side of his mouth. He released another small 'hmmm' as he failed to orient himself on the map.

"The sign up location is at Shabboneau Castle," Tsukishima cut in as he pocketed his tablet.

"Oh, right. Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi laughed.

Kanoka admired the two friends with a small pleasant giggle.

"To the castle, then," Yamaguchi hummed as he did a bit of a spin in an attempt to decide the direction they would go.

"This way," Tsukishima sighed, heading them off down the right path.

"Oh, right. Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi repeated sheepishly.

Tsukishima just barely retained his smile as he lead the other two towards the castle.

"Wow, I can't believe your first showcase will be in an actual castle," Kanoka gasped as she matched pace with Yamaguchi.

"I wonder if it really is a castle or if it's just the name of the place," Yamaguchi inquired, as he himself had never heard of Shabboneau Castle nor had he any time to look into it prior to their arrival.

"It just sounds so regal," Kanoka carried on dreamily. "Have you ever been to a castle before, Yamaguchi?"

"No, never!" Yamaguchi replied with the shake of his head. "Alola doesn't really have castles!"

"That's right! I forgot you're from Alola," Kanoka gasped. "How exciting! Your first castle and first showcase!"

"Yeah, I guess it is exciting," Yamaguchi agreed, feeling a bit nervous. Mild fear of him being rejected to join the showcase washed over him. He was extraordinarily ordinary. What if they only allowed regal people?

A silence fell over the three as they made their way through the small town. Yamaguchi's nerves left him feeling quite noxious. He was very excited for his first showcase, but at the same time it all of a sudden felt very real. In a matter of days, he would be performing for thousands of people. Was he really ready for this?

"Wow! Look! It's a real moat," Kanoka gasped as she rushed forward.

Yamaguchi felt his worries subside for a moment as he took in the large castle-like manor surrounded by a large moat. He didn't know what he was expected to see, but a castle with a moat around it was not it. He felt a sense of both excitement and anxiety overwhelm him.

"It really is a castle," Yamaguchi gasped, standing beside Tsukki.

"Says here it's more like a museum than a castle," Tsukishima hummed. It was hard for Yamaguchi to read Tsukki's take on the structure, though he didn't seem terribly overwhelmed. "The theater seems to be newly refurbished though."

"Let's go inside!" Kanoka called, waving the boys over to the bridge entrance.

Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi to see if he was ready. Yamaguchi sent him a small reassuring smile followed by a nod. With that, the two trainers followed Kanoka into the castle.

As the three entered the large castle, they were surprised to find that it did indeed resemble more of a museum than anything. Yamaguchi could see that several extravagant items were on display just behind the front counter. A kind woman smiled at the three as they entered greeting them with a warm "Welcome to Shabboneau Castle."

Tsukishima pushed Yamaguchi forward, prompting him to take charge of the conversation. Kanoka stood to the side, reading off of a pamphlet she had snatched at the entrance. Yamaguchi hesitated for only a moment, unsure how to start.

"I-I'm here for the showcase…" Yamaguchi weakly introduced. He cursed himself for being so timid.

"Oh, the showcase isn't for two days from now," the woman quickly replied. "Most of the spectator tickets have been sold out as well," She added, assuming that was why they were there.

"I-I'm here to s-sign up," Yamaguchi sputtered, feeling like a fool. He could not help but feel all kinds of nervous.

"Oh, I see…" the lady hummed, looking a bit too surprised by the development. She studied Yamaguchi, looking from his messy hair to his dirty sneakers. "Well, we still have plenty of slots open for contestants," She carried on, eyeing Yamaguchi once more.

"May I sign up then?" Yamaguchi asked, doing his best to not feel discouraged by the scrutinizing gaze of the woman.

"Of course," She smiled, this time large and obviously fake. "Let me get the paperwork ready for you."

"Th-thank you," Yamaguchi replied, his heart pounding heavily in his chest. The lady's disapproving attitude did not help his nerves. He looked to Tsukki and shot him a very fake smile that did reach to his eyes.

Tsukki looked back with a deep frown before glaring at the woman as she came back with a clipboard and a pen.

"Read through these and sign here," She instructed, handing him the paperwork.

"R-Right," Yamaguchi replied, taking the clipboard and pen in his shaking hands. The paperwork was basic and didn't take him long to fill it out and sign it. He cured himself several times as he did his best to not let his shaking hands mess up his writing too bad. He really needed to work on his nerves.

"Is this your first showcase, dear?" The woman asked as she took the paperwork back from Yamaguchi.

"Yes," Yamaguchi replied with a small nod. He did his best to ignore the woman's snide knowing smile. Maybe a castle wasn't the best place for his first showcase.

The woman didn't comment on Yamaguchi's reply as she entered his information into the system. It only took her a moment before she turned back to the timid trainer.

"You're all set. You will see on your Pokedex now that you've been entered to this showcase and it should record if you won or not," She professionally explained as if she were reading off lines. "You should be able to have access to further details about the showcase when you click into it on your dex," She carried on.

"Oh, thank you," Yamaguchi mumbled, avoiding eye contact as best he could with the woman with the woman. He opened his dex to see a message informing him about his entry into the showcase. "Is there anything else I need to do?" Yamaguchi asked.

"Nope, just show up on time and ready to perform," the woman said with a shake of her head.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod before turning to leave. He felt an urge to leave as fast as he could. Tsukki followed after him quickly, glaring back at the woman as she called a very snide "Good luck."

As the two passed Kanoka, she stopped reading the pamphlet and followed after.

"She was damn annoying," Tsukishima grumbled as the three crossed the bridge. He didn't look very happy.

Yamaguchi, still feeling quite put off by the whole experience, said nothing.

"Is everything okay?" Kanoka asked, surprised by the suddenly tense atmosphere.

"It's fine," Yamaguchi insisted, wanting to put it all behind and focus on the showcase itself. He should have expected strangers to judged him, and he probably looked like a hot mess, having just come from the forest.

Tsukishima shot Yamaguchi an unsatisfied look, which he always did when Yamaguchi brushed off the insults of strangers.

"If you say so," Kanoka shrugged.

"It'd be great if we could just check into the hotel so I could practice," Yamaguchi insisted, ignoring Tsukki's disgruntled expression.

"Sounds good to me," Kanoka hummed. "So, did you get us tickets to see the show?"

"Contestants get three free seats for friends and family," Yamaguchi nodded.

"Oh, I hope they have a good view!" Kanoka fretted. "I want to be able to get a good look at your routine!"

"Well, we won't find out until the show, so what's the point of worrying?" Tsukishima cut in sharply.

"I suppose so," Kanoka laughed along with Yamaguchi.

It wasn't long before the group arrived to Hotel Camphrier. Instead of staying the few days they were there at the Pokemon Center hostel, the three had agreed upon staying at the local historic hotel, as it gave a very large discount to showcase performers that were to perform at the castle. It was decided that Yamaguchi and Tsukki would share a double while Kanoka reserved herself a single.

The room Tsukki and Yamaguchi reserved was a large room on the 6th story with lavish decorations and a balcony that overlooked the castle. The only thing that stopped both boys in there tracks was the large king-size bed in the middle of the room.

"T-Tsukki, I thought we ordered a room with two twin beds…" Yamaguchi asked, doing his best to hide his flaming red cheeks. It'd been years since he and Tsukki had shared a bed and the thought of doing so now made him feel incredibly nervous.

"I'll go talk to the front desk," Tsukishima quickly replied before leaving the room, giving Yamaguchi no time to see his reaction. He wouldn't be surprised if Tsukki refused to share a bed.

Yamaguchi watched the door shut behind Tsukki before entering the room. Placing Eevee on the floor, he began his inspection of the room. Despite the bed surprise, the rest of the room was simply amazing. The windows were large, letting in a fair amount of natural sunlight. The room was spacious and elegantly decorated with pictures of local landscapes. The bathroom was large and contained a bathtub large enough to fit both himself and all his Pokemon. The shower contained three shower heads and its tile was made of what Yamaguchi assumed to be marble. He had never been anywhere this fancy in all his life.

He'd been checking his tired reflection in the bathroom mirror when Tsukki arrived back to the room. Yamaguchi gave a jump at the loud sound of the door shutting when he entered.

"They're booked," He heard Tsukki mumbled as he dropped his luggage to the floor.

"What?" Yamaguchi asked, stumbling out of the bathroom.

"When I asked to switch us to a room with two twin beds they said they were booked," Tsukishima reiterated as he plopped down on the bed.

"Oh…" Yamaguchi reluctantly replied, unsure if Tsukki was upset to share a bed with him. Eevee ran to his ankle begging to be let up. "I don't mind taking the floor," he mumbled holding Eevee close.

"Don't be stupid," Tsukishima sighed, avoiding eye contact with Yamaguchi. "The beds big enough for us both," he carried on, hiding his pink blush with a turn of his head.

"Right," Yamaguchi awkwardly replied, he too feeling his cheeks warm up. "I promise not to kick in my sleep," he added, hoping to lighten the mood.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Tsukishima shot back dryly, though there was no scorn in his tone. "When have you ever stayed still when sleeping."

"At least I don't snore," Yamaguchi teased, plopping down next to Tsukki and nudging him lightly on the shoulder.

"What?" Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi with the utmost offence. "I'll have you know I don't snore."

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh at his friend's reaction, which only caused Tsukki to pout.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima mumbled, looking to the side.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi laughed, giving his friend another soft nudge. He could tell by the pout and blush that Tsukki was more embarrassed than angry.

"Don't you have some practicing to do?" Tsukishima asked, his tone holding a prude edge.

"Right!" Yamaguchi replied, his laughter calming down. "Day one is already half over, I better get to practicing before it gets dark," he carried on as he stood and began to gather what he needed.

"We can meet back here at sunset before going for dinner," Tsukishima said as he watched his best friend bustle about the room.

"Sounds good to me," Yamaguchi hummed, double checking himself once more. Once satisfied with himself, he smiled at his best friend. "Wish me luck!'

"Don't fall in the moat," Tsukishima flatly replied.

"Good enough," Yamaguchi shrugged, stifling another laugh. "See you tonight," Yamaguchi said as he exited the door.

"I mean it about the moat!" Tsukishima called after. From behind the shut door, he heard Yamaguchi give a very sarcastic laugh.

Yamaguchi's training went over without a hitch. He and Popplio were in the best sync they had ever been in, and he knew they were more than ready to perform the routine for the contest, but despite all that, something was still eating at him. A pressure was beginning to build in his mind. With the strange Pokemon sneaking into their room last night. Knowing it's red eyes watched him while he slept. It creeped him out and though he knew it was long gone, he still checked over his shoulder now and again. When he paired that with the way the lady at the castle had looked down on him, her judging eyes haunted him just as much as the strange intruder's red eyes.

He wanted more than anything to prove her wrong. He wanted to be able to hold his head high despite her mocking gaze and disbelieving tone, and he wanted more than anything to be that brave person who isn't bothered by what others think. Unfortunately, at the moment, he wasn't any of that.

He had stuttered the whole time talking with the lady, he left the castle in obvious shame, and even hours later he still allowed the moment to haunt him. What haunted him most of all was the thought that the lady was right to look down on him.

She worked for the showcase circuit, so she must have seen all sorts of showcase contestants. What if she had seen so many contestants she could tell with one look the good ones from the bad ones. What if she could see just by looking that Yamaguchi didn't have what it took?

Of course, those assumptions were just ludicrous. Yamaguchi knew that he was way overthinking it. Despite being more than aware of that, his nerves still left him feeling like he could vomit at any moment.

The sun was almost set by the time Yamaguchi made it back to the hotel. He took his time making it up the elevator and dawdled on his way to the room. He knew he looked like a mess, and he knew Tsukki was going to pick up on his distress right away. The last thing he needed was a suspicious and worried Tsukki.

Stopping just outside the hotel room door, Yamaguchi took a shaky breath and put on his best smile. With the swipe of the room key, he entered the room with feigned confidence. With only one small lamp on, their hotel room was dim, everything soaked in an orange-red tint as the last rays of the setting sun filtered through the window. Tsukishima was laying on the bed flipping through his tablet. Salazzle lay next to him asleep, and Eevee slept snuggled securely between Salazzle and Tsukki. Bagon and Snivy both slept on a cushioned lounge chair just beside the window.

"Best practice yet," Yamaguchi said, announcing his arrival. The room door thunked loudly as it shut behind him.

Tsukishima looked over the rim of his tablet at Yamaguchi, his golden eyes studying his every inch. Yamaguchi faltered but held his smile as Tsukishima's left eyebrow twitched once during his silent inspection.

"Good to hear," Tsukishima finally replied, placing his tablet on the side table.

"I think I'm more than ready for the showcase," Yamaguchi hummed as he sat down on his side of the bed.

Tsukishima studied Yamaguchi with a suspicious eye, who looked away, turning his face towards the window. The sun had finally set over the distant mountain range. The room was bathed in a purple-blue tint as the moon took its rightful place in the sky.

"My, it got dark fast today," Yamaguchi blurted foolishly. He inwardly cringed at his own voice, wondering why couldn't he learn to just keep quiet.

"Right…" Tsukishima replied in a very drawn out tone. "Are you ready for dinner?" He then asked, obviously unsure what Yamaguchi was getting at.

"Y-Yeah, I'm totally starved," Yamaguchi replied suspiciously fast, looking over his shoulder at Tsukki. An ache passed through his gut as he did so.

Tsukishima frowned deeply at that, causing Yamaguchi to avoid eye contact once more. The look in Tsukishima's eyes was a mix of disapproval and confliction. It made Yamaguchi uneasy. He knew how much Tsukishima hated tedious things and his worries about the upcoming showcase were just that, tedious.

Yamaguchi felt the bed shift beside him as Tsukishima pulled up close. Yamaguchi glanced to the side to see Tsukki with an unreadable expression . He sat silent for a long moment.

"T-Tsukki?" Yamaguchi whispered, taking extra notice of their arms brushing up against one another.

Tsukishima didn't look at Yamaguchi, nor did he say anything, but his close presence grew more comforting by the moment. Yamaguchi hesitated, unsure what to do or say. With a small sigh, he allowed himself to lean against his best friend. As his head rested on Tsukishima's shoulder, his anxiety began to subside.

He'd never noticed before, but Tsukki was much warmer than he looked. His shoulder more comfortable than one would expect. Yamaguchi had almost forgotten how comforting Tsukki could be. He knew Tsukki was comforting him in his own Tsukki way, and Yamaguchi was more than grateful for it.

Tsukishima didn't move. He was never good with words but fortunately, he didn't have to be to communicate with his best friend. He allowed Yamaguchi the moment of silence and comfort, but he dared not look at him, for his eyes could betray him. He could feel with every passing moment, the tension in his best friend easing up.

How much time passed, neither knew. It was only when Yamaguchi's stomach released a low growl of hunger did the two snap out of the moment. A natural smile came to Yamaguchi's lips as he felt hungry once more.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whispered as he sat up straight. He still felt a mixed variety of nerves in the back of his mind, but the hard edge had faded. "I feel much better."

"I didn't do anything," Tsukishima replied, standing up from the bed and walking to the window, making sure to keep his face hidden from Yamaguchi's view.

With a small smile, Yamaguchi's eyes followed his best friend's every movement. He felt more grateful than ever to have Tsukki by his side. He always knew just how to calm him.

"So, dinner?" Tsukki asked, turning to face Yamaguchi. His expression was back to its normal neutral self.

"Starving," Yamaguchi replied, springing up from the bed.

"Good," Tsukishima nodded, leading the way to the door. "Kanoka went on and on about this restaurant she insisted we go to," he drawled on in feigned annoyance.

"Oh, now I'm excited," Yamaguchi laughed, following after his best friend. As the two made their way down the extravagant halls of the hotel, Yamaguchi thanked Arceus for his best friend.

Awwww how sweet can these two boys be! Now that they are in Camphrier Town Yamaguchi just has a few more days left before his showcase. Is he really going to be ready in time? Was the lady from the Castle correct? Will there be any road bumps along the way to stop our heros!? Is the red eyed creeper still tailing Yama? Stay tuned to find out this and more!

Hey readers. Next weekend you can expect chapter 24 to be up same as always. I suspect it won't be late. Keep an eye out!

As always, thank you all for the kudos, bookmarks, follows, review and comments. I love to hear back from my readers and the best fuel to get any fic writer to write is feedback. If you have a moment do leave a comment or review in the section below 3

This is all for now! See you all next chapter!


	24. Starlight Dream

Hey all! Here is Chapter 24 ready for a read. Let's see what sort of night our two boys face sharing a bed. I wonder what will happen? Is Yamaguchi ready for the show case? Hopefully he doesn't come across any snags

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Let's read chapter 24!

Starlight Dream

That night was very awkward for both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima. Dinner with Kanoka had gone past like a three chatted normally and enjoyed themselves, but it was after dinner that set Yamaguchi's nerves on edge. He had to share a bed with Tsukishima.

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima had shared beds many a time as children, but around the age of 14 Tsukishima had deemed it too childish and they hadn't shared one since. As a child, Yamaguchi loved sharing a bed with Tsukki. Tsukki would always read books on fossil Pokemon on nights where Yamaguchi was extra spooked about sleeping away from home. It always calmed him, listening to Tsukki read about Tyrantrum and Aurorus. His calm and even voice always helped Yamaguchi with any anxiety he'd been carrying throughout the day, and he'd always get the best rest when sleeping next to Tsukki.

Since then, things had changed between the two. They were older, and it had been ages since they'd shared a bed. Yamaguchi would like to think everything was fine between them and that nothing had changed, but it had definitely changed for Yamaguchi.

When they were kids he felt happy and secure around Tsukki. He rarely ever felt shy, and the idea of sleeping next to him was not odd at all, but his feelings had changed in the past few years. Instead of feeling secure around Tsukki, he felt an odd fluttery feeling, both warm and nervous at the idea of laying next to him. He was excited to be so close to Tsukki yet again, under the same sheets but when he dwelled on these thoughts, he began to feel guilty. Tsukki was his friend and these feeling were more than just friendly.

When they had returned to their room, they both changed into there nightwear and both silently and awkwardly slipped under the sheets. Tsukki immediately rolled onto his side, his back facing Yamaguchi. With Eevee snug in his arms, Yamaguchi had gazed at Tsukki's lonely back for only a moment before rolling over himself. As much as he wanted to gawk at the beauty of his best friend, he knew it was not the right thing to do.

Sleep didn't come quickly for Yamaguchi. He lay on his side for what felt like hours, though it could have been only a few minutes, for he was too nervous to really know. It was only when Tsukki's breathing became low and even did Yamaguchi begin to relax, and soon after, he too fell asleep.

His dreams were odd that night. He stood with Eevee and Popplio on a large stage. He knew there was a crowd of people watching but all he could see around him was the cosmos. Twinkling stars and swirling galaxies filled the stands, filling Yamaguchi with an odd sense of fear. All the while, Eevee and Popplio waiting for his queue. Almost as if he were a wind up toy, he and the two Pokemon began to dance to a routine he had never practiced.

Yamaguchi's body moved on its own as Eevee and Popplio swirled around him like shooting stars. He could hear cheers of people but could not see them, and he began to panic as he carried on dancing against his will. Eevee and Popplio did not seem to take notice of his distress. With panic building up he attempted to shout, but just as he had no control over his body, he also had no control over his voice.

The routine went on for what felt like aeons as the voices of the crowd faded in and out, becoming as loud as a boom only to fade into a distant whisper, switching back and forth like the ocean tide. Yamaguchi felt as if he were about to drown in it. It became harder and harder to breathe as he tried to struggle free. It became too much until suddenly there was nothing at all.

As if a switch had been flipped, he regained control of himself, tumbling to the stage floor. Eevee and Popplio eeped in surpries before they both popped out of existence. Yamaguchi felt a moment of panic only for his attention to be drawn back out towards the cosmos. The sounds of the cheering crowd had faded as a strange new sound filled the space. The stars and galaxies reflected in Yamaguchi's eyes as he listed to a sad sound that cried out, echoing all around him. It sounded almost like a plea for help.

He suddenly felt the urge to help whatever it was. He stood and looked around frantically only to find he was not on the stage anymore but a lone rock out in space. He looked over it's edge only to find darkness, dotted with specks of lights. A strangely heavy feeling sunk into the pit of his stomach, and he heard the whimpering cry once more.

"Hello, is someone there?" Yamaguchi called out, his voice echoing far too loudly.

"It will soon be ours," a strange hiss echoed through the dark space, sending a shock through Yamaguchi.

With that, the cry stopped. Silence filled the air, and a sudden feeling of paranoia filled Yamaguchi. He blinked once only to find the stars and space dust fall away leaving him in complete darkness. The rock he stood on shifted under his feet. He opened his mouth to shout, but no sound came out as the rock crumbled into dust and he began to fall. His arms and legs flailed about as he became consumed by the darkness.

"Y-Yamaguchi, G-Get off of me!" Tsukishima grumbled as a panicking Yamaguchi rolled flailed about on top of him.

"AHHHHH!" Yamaguchi shouted as he clung to Tsukishima.

"Wake up, for Arceus sake!" Tsukishima snapped as he got a bonk in the head from Yamaguchi's elbow.

Yamaguchi clung to Tsukishima for dear life, his arms held fast around his middle and his face pressed up against his chest. He gave an pathetic whimper and he refused to let go.

"Wake up, Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima commanded once more as he gave his friend a good shake.

"T-Tsukki?" Yamaguchi mumbled as he began to come to. His heart was pounding and his brow drenched in sweat. With his arms still held fast around Tsukki's he became more aware of his surroundings.

"What was that?" Tsukishima asked in a tone much sharper than he'd meant. An odd feeling of both wanting to hold his best friend close to comfort him and wanting to pry Yamaguchi off to shout at him fought at the back of Tsukishima's mind.

As Yamaguchi woke up, he became quite aware of who he was holding. He could feel Tsukishima's heart beating fiercely against his cheek, and when he looked up, he saw Tsukki looking at him with a mixture of concern and annoyance.

"T-Tsukki! Ah! I'm sorry!" Yamaguchi spluttered as he released his best friend and flew back, the force of doing so almost knocking him off the bed.

"Are you okay?" Tsukishima dead panned as he reached a hand out to steady his best friend. His brow grew heavy with concern each passing second.

Yamaguchi was far too embarrassed to take any notice of this. "Yeah, fine," Yamaguchi replied quickly. "Just a bad dream. Stress dream I'd suspect," he blabbered on in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

"Bad dream?" Tsukishima echoed uncertainty heavy in his tone. Yamaguchi looked like he had just stared death in the face with how white his face was. "Want to… talk about it?" He awkwardly asked. Comfort was not his strongest skill.

Yamaguchi's cheek when bright red at the offer. Fortunately, the room was still dark enough to hide it. "I… It was… Well," Yamaguchi stammered as he both tried to calm his fluttering heart and recall the dream. He glanced to the side to find Eevee sleeping soundly just above where his head had been. He tried to focus on her in an attempt to calm himself.

Tsukishima's brow raised in still growing concern for his best friend. It had been years since a dream had spooked Yamaguchi's this bad.

"I… I can't seem to recall," Yamaguchi reluctantly admitted. "It must have been a wild one, though," He tried to joke, smiling in hope to show he was feeling better.

Tsukishima didn't seem convinced. Yamaguchi had never been able to pull one over on him.

"Are you worried about the showcase this much?" Tsukishima asked after a long moment.

"I… Didn't think I was," Yamaguchi sighed, his shoulders deflating. For the most part, he felt quite ready for the showcase. Had the dream been about the showcase? He couldn't even recall. "I guess the stress has gotten to me," he admitted, still uncertain of it himself.

A silence hung in the air as Tsukki seemed lost on what to do. Yamaguchi glanced at him twice, more than ready to insist he not worry about it.

"Well, lay back down and relax, I can read a bit about fossil Pokemon if you'd like," Tsukishima mumbled, looking uncharacteristically shy.

Yamaguchi sat shock or only a moment as his heart began to flutter. A grateful warth spread out from his chest to his limbs.

"I'd really like that," Yamaguchi quietly replied. He made sure not to startle Tsukki as he did so, knowing it would probably do him in. With that he quietly scooped the sleeping Eevee back into his arms shuffled under his blankets.

"Comfy?" Tsukishima asked, once Yamaguchi was tucked snug back in the sheets. He glanced over to find his friend smiling up at him. Eevee snuggled close to Yamaguchi's chest.

"Very," Yamaguchi replied softly. He looked to Tsukki with a content smile.

With a clear of his throat, Tsukishima settled himself back on his side of the bed. He then picked up his tablet, clicked around only a few times before finding what it was he wanted.

Clearing his voice, Tsukishima began to read. "Aurorus is thought to have been primarily blue with large light colored flaps coming from it's head and neck…" Tsukishima began, his voice deep and even.

Yamaguchi immediately began to relax. The steady familiar voice of his best friend soothed him in a way nothing else could. Quicker than he'd expected, his eyes began to feel heavy. He blinked up a few times, admiring Tsukishima's perfectly sculpted face in the light of the tablet.

"The largest Aurorus fossils were over 8 feet tall and many expect that even taller Aurorus existed at one point…" Tsukishima calmly carried on. He only glanced over once to find his best friend fighting to stay awake with a dopey smile spread on his face. Though he was worried about what had just happened, he was happy to see Yamaguchi calm down so quickly.

Yamaguchi yawned deeply as his eyes fluttered shut. His head nuzzled his pillow as he fell into a very comfortable sleep. He felt familiar, safe, and secure, just as he did back when he and Tsukki would share a bed as kids.

His sleep for the rest of that night was dreamless and calm. When he woke the next morning, Tsukki was gone from the bed, but he could hear the shower running. Though he would never admit it, he was disappointed to wake up alone.

"So, are you ready for the showcase tomorrow?" Kanoka asked over breakfast that morning.

"Yeah, I think so," Yamaguchi replied, his voice only half confident.

Tsukishima glanced his way but said nothing.

"Let's go over the list once more just to be sure," Kanoka sang as she pulled out her light purple tablet. "You've got your Pokemon and your recipes ready, right?" She asked, looking from her tablet to Yamaguchi.

"Of course I do," Yamaguchi chuckled as he began to feed Eevee her bottle.

"You've done a fair job of reviewing fashion, just in case, correct?" Kanoka listed off more.

"I've been practicing hand stitching before bed every night," Yamaguchi nodded, a little less confident.

"Alright, and you have your performance outfit for the show all clean and pressed?" Kanoka cheerfully carried on.

"My what?" Yamaguchi asked, looking from Eevee to Kanoka.

"You know, the outfit you are going to wear on stage," Kanoka asked, half startled at Yamaguchi's confusion.

"I was just going to wear what I normally wear," Yamaguchi reluctantly replied, fearing to ask what he was going to ask next. "Is that… not okay?"

"Well, umm…" Kanoka seemed very unsure how to answer the question. "I've never been in a showcase myself but most performers, they wear something nice, like a suit or a nice dress."

Yamaguchi felt his whole body go cold. Even Eevee stopped eating to look at him in concern. He felt all sorts of bad feeling rush through his head. Disappointment, frustration at himself, stupid, and embarrassment to name a few. He must have looked horrible for very quickly Kanoka added "I'm sure it's not a requirement."

In his utter despair, Yamaguchi passed the concerned Eevee off to Tsukki to finish her feeding. Before he slumped forward in his chair onto the table.

"How could I be so stupid," Yamaguchi moaned into his used napkin. "I knew I was forgetting something."

Tsukishima glared over at Kanoka, almost as if he were blaming her for the problem.

"Yamaguchi, it's going to be just fine!" Kanoka insisted, doing her best to mend the situation. "We have plenty of time to find you a costume at a nearby shop," he suggested.

Yamaguchi looked up from the table, a little less miserable. "Do you think they'll have something for me?" he asked in hope.

"Of course," Kanoka smiled, looking to Tsukki to help prove her point.

Tsukki frowned back at her before turning his attention to Eevee.

"We can go right now and look if you'd like," Kanoka carried on, ignoring Tsukki's lack of help.

"Right, but first I need to make a quick call," Yamaguchi replied, shooting up from the table. "Tsukki, watch Eevee until I get back."

Tsukishima replied with a quiet nod. All the while he ignored Kanoka in a very quiet annoyance.

"Meet me at the Pokemon Center when you're done here," Yamaguchi said before dashing out the door.

Yamaguchi ran from the restaurant to the nearest Pokemon center. Once in the small hospital he made a beeline for the PC. With shaking fingers, he entered the number he needed before pressing the call button.

"Shimada! Please! Help!" Yamaguchi cried almost the moment Shimada picked up his video call.

"Yamaguchi! Hello!" Shimada replied in shocked concern. "Long time no talk. You look… ummm…. Are you okay?" he carried on, his tone petering off near the end.

Oh my what a dream Yamaguchi had!? I wonder if it was really a stress dream or maybe something more? Who knows really. Lucky he had Tsukki there to help calm him. But what about his performance outfit? Will he really just go with his street clothes in the end? Will he be able to remedy this problem in time? Stay tuned to find out this and more!

Hey all. So things are still on the path to one chapter per a week. You can expect chapter 25 to be up on time next weekend. Keep an eye out for it!

As always, thank you all for the Kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers and any type of feedback is wonderful. It really help get the wheels turning in my head so I can pump quality charters out. Even if you are new to the fic please drop down below and let me know what you think.

Well, that is all for now my readers! See you next chapter!


	25. Panicked Shoppers

Oh my! What is our little Yama going to do? Will he find something in time for the showcase? We believe in you Yama!

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Chapter 25, I choose you!

Panicked Shoppers

"You had me worried, Yamaguchi!" Shimada sighed from the other side of the screen, following his comment with a small stress-relieving chuckle.

Yamaguchi did not find the situation funny in any way whatsoever. How could Shimada be so calm about it? The showcase was in less than 24 hours, and Yamaguchi was costumeless. He was going to look a fool if he showed up as-is.

Shimada seemed to sense Yamaguchi's frustration. "You need to calm down or you're going to make yourself sick, okay," he started in a calm and steady voice. "I'm sure you can find something in a nearby shop, and if not, wearing a more casual outfit will be fine."

"If I don't find something I'll be the only one not in some fancy outfit," Yamaguchi quickly retorted, leaning much too close to the camera. "If I'm the only one on stage in casual clothes I'll look so unprepared!"

"I understand your concerns, but there isn't much that can be done at this point," Shimada certified in an almost motherly tone. "Just go out and find what you can, and if you come up empty-handed, what you are wearing now will have to do. They can't turn you away because of your outfit."

"But… but… but," Yamaguchi sputtered desperately.

"Take a deep breath in through your nose, Yamaguchi," Shimada instructed from the other side of the screen.

Yamaguchi stopped his sputtering, hesitating for a moment before doing as he was told. He breathed in deeply through his nose, filling his lungs with fresh air.

"Hold it," Shimada quietly hummed.

Yamaguchi held it and counted to three.

"Now breath out through your mouth and release your tension," Shimada said, ending his instruction.

As Yamaguchi released his breath he felt bits of his tension ease up.

"Better?" Shimada asked with a knowing smile.

"A little, I guess," Yamaguchi mumbled.

"Good," Shimada nodded. "Not if you get worked up again just stop and remember to breathe. Everything is going to be okay."

Yamaguchi gave a small nod of understanding.

"Now look for an outfit and stay calm," Shimada hummed in approval. "I know you're going to do fine, Yamaguchi, regardless of what you wear."

"Th-Thanks," Yamaguchi replied with a weak smile.

With that, mentor and student bade farewell. Yamaguchi started at the blank screen as he repeated the breathing technique Shimada had just shown him. He repeated the action two more times, only stopping when his heart rate returned to normal.

With a small sigh, he picked himself up from the chair and made his way to where his friends were waiting for him in the lobby. He found Kanoka furiously flipping through her tablet and Tsukki calmly stroking a sleeping Eevee.

"Is everything okay?" Kanoka asked once she noticed Yamaguchi's return.

"I guess I need to do a bit of last minute clothes shopping," Yamaguchi tried to joke, despite his heart not being in it. "Do either of you know how many clothes shops are in the area?"

"Just one," Kanoka sighed. "At least when I checked on my tablet that's all I could find."

"This being a small town and all, I'm not too surprised," Yamaguchi deflated. "I guess I should go check and see if they have a suit in my size. You two don't have to come if you don't want to."

"No way am I going to leave you after all you've done to help me," Kanoka insisted jovially.

Yamaguchi replied with a small thankful smile.

"I have something I need to do," Tsukishima replied quietly. "I'll Eevee while you show and meet you two back at the hotel when you're done," he said before briskly walking off.

Yamaguchi felt a bit hurt that Tsukki wouldn't help, but knew the blond was not a fan of shopping. It was probably better that Tsukki wouldn't come in the end, lest he get impatient while shopping. Nevertheless, Yamaguchi was disappointed to see him go.

"Let's go then!" Kanoka cheered as she grabbed Yamaguchi by the arm and headed towards the exit. "No time to waste."

Yamaguchi gave a small 'Ack' as he stumbled after Kanoka.

It took the two a good hour to locate the clothing store. Despite the town being small in population it was quite spread out, with many winding paths. The shop was larger than Yamaguchi had expected, but didn't seem to be the type of place one would find formal clothes at. Along with the disappointing clothing selection, the shop was packed with shoppers.

"I think the men's clothes are in the back," Kanoka said as she and Yamaguchi weaved through the crows of shoppers.

Once at the back Yamaguchi was not surprised to see that the men's section was only a fourth the size as the ladies section. As he scanned the area he took notice that there didn't seem to be a single formal section.

"All I see are shirts and pants," Yamaguchi whined as he shuffled through a nearby rack.

"I'll check over here," Kanoka called as she went to the opposite side of the small section.

It didn't take the two long to check through every rack of clothes, and they'd both come up empty.

"Oh no! What am I going to do!" Yamaguchi groaned, rubbing his face in agony.

"Well, maybe just buy yourself a shiny new t-shirt," Kanoka half-joked with a shrug.

Yamaguchi shot her a look that screamed 'unhelpful'.

"How about we ask one of the workers to see if maybe we skipped over something," Kanoka suggested next, this time a bit more serious.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod of agreeance before the two jumped back into the crowd of shoppers to locate a worker. Finding a worker was a lot easier said than done. The small shop seemed severely understaffed for the amount of shoppers, but when they finally did locate a worker the lady looked quite frazzled.

"Suits?" the tall blond woman with a windswept ponytail squaked. "We don't sell suits here. You'll need to go to the next town over!"

"The next town!" Yamaguchi shouted, though it was barely noticeable over the volume of the crowd in the store. "But that's got to be a days walk away!"

"Well, we don't sell them here," The woman huffed.

Yamaguchi did his best not to panic. Shimada said a more casual outfit wasn't the end of the world. He could do with his normal clothes just fine. Despite knowing this, the lump in Yamaguchi's throat refused to go away as he tried to fight his tears.

The shopkeeper seemed to take pity on him for she gave a very soft sigh. "Listen kid, we don't sell formal attire here but just outside of town there's a small flea market happening in celebration of the showcase tomorrow. Maybe you'll find something there…"

"A flea market?" Yamaguchi echoed in a shaky voice.

"It should be starting up soon," Kanoka hummed from beside Yamaguchi, her eye studying her tablet.

"Let's go then!" Yamaguchi exclaimed, feeling a bit of hope return to himself. "Thanks for the tip!" he called over his shoulder to the worker as he and Kanoka made for the exit.

"Good luck, kid!" the woman called after.

It was noon by the time the two arrived at the edge of town. Yamaguchi was surprised to see that there was indeed a flea market being put on. He scanned over the multitude of stalls, surprised to find so many in such a small space.

"Let's start from this end and work our way down," Kanoka suggested, guiding Yamaguchi to the first stall.

With his mind still far too jazzed up to think for himself, Yamaguchi didn't argue, following along with Kanoka's plan. The two perused the first few stalls only to find handcrafted accessories for both trainer and Pokemon. Though many of the items were nice to look at none were what the two were shopping for. As the two went from tent to tent, Yamaguchi did his best to not show the panic he currently felt.

The next few isles of tents were none too different. Some sold more accessories while others sold items for the house. There was even one popular stand that displayed handcrafted furniture. The whole flea market was indeed a delight but Yamaguchi was unable to fully enjoy it with the current panic he felt.

Yamaguchi would often catch himself whispering thing such as "I still need to review the routine once more. I don't have time for this." As well as "How could I be so stupid!" as he went through waves of frustration at himself and barely controlled panic.

"I'm sure you'll find something!" Kanoka would calmly insist whenever Yamaguchi became flustered.

A good hour had passed by the time two had near reached the end of the market. Yamaguchi felt utterly defeated. They hadn't come across a single costume that would work for the showcase. Most of the clothes they'd found were just old outfits people were looking to make a buck off of, but nothing that would work for a showcase costume. It was when the duo came across the second to last stall that a flame of hope welled up in Yamaguchi's chest.

It was a small tent with a few nice looking suits and dresses displayed just outside of it. Without much thought, Yamaguchi rushed to the tent. His eyes lingered on a dazzling emerald green suit that glittered under the late noon sun. It was far too flashy for his taste, but something about it spoke to him. He knew he'd look like a star on the stage in something that shiny. He just hoped they had something in his size.

"E-Excuse m-me!" Yamaguchi sputtered as he and Kanoka entered the tent.

"Hello there," Greeted an older woman from the back of the ten, who was currently stitching away at a frilly pink dress. "How can I help you?" She asked, standing and addressing the two.

"I was w-wondering if maybe you h-had some suits?" Yamaguchi asking in a shaky voice, his nerves still far too on edge. He knew the question must have sounded silly for the woman sent him a peculiar smile.

"Yeah, we have suits," she replied with a cocky half smile as her eyes landed on a rather dashing kids tuxedo that hung directly next to Yamaguchi.

Kanoka muffled a frustrated sigh at the woman's sass as Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright pink.

"What I mean is a suit for myself," Yamaguchi clarified quickly as he tried to stay at least somewhat confident.

"A suit for you…" The woman hummed as she examined him from head to toe. "Well, you're kind of tall," She said more to herself then the two shoppers.

"Anything would do honestly," Yamaguchi prompted in much hope.

"Let me see what I have in the back," She sighed, her tone doubtful.

Yamaguchi gave a small whine as she disappeared behind a curtain to the back of the small tent. He hoped to god that she had at least something.

Full of nerves, Yamaguchi quietly looked around the small tent. He felt his heart sink as he came to realize that much of the merchandise looked far too small for him. Kanoka must have had the same thought for she whispered: "A lot of these dresses seem to be for kids…"

"Sorry, kid, but I'm afraid I don't have anything in your size with me," The woman said as she returned from the back. "I have some items that might fit you back at my workshop."

"Is your workshop near here?" Yamaguchi asked, his tone full of hope.

The woman frowned as she shook her head 'no'.

"How soon do you need your suit by?" she asked, her tone a bit solemn at coming up empty-handed.

"Tomorrow," Yamaguchi groaned, knowing there was most likely nothing this woman could do to help him.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't help you then," the woman replied with a sorry shake of her head. "But good luck finding your suit."

Yamaguchi felt his flame of hope blow out. How could this have happened. With all these tents and not a single one sold a suit in his size. He gave a forced smile as he thanked the woman for her help. With all hope lost, he led Kanoka back to their hotel.

"Oh, Yamaguchi, I'm so sorry we couldn't find anything," Kanoka had consoled on their walk back. "But it's not a total loss. You don't need a fancy outfit to perform."

"R-Right," Yamaguchi had replied in a very broken voice. He had put so much preparation into this showcase performance. He couldn't help but hate himself at the moment. He had put so much time and effort into his routine and, as always, fumbled it all up because he was too stupid to get everything right.

The rest of the walk home was quiet. Yamaguchi refused to speak in fear that he might cry, and Kanoka picked up on his mood very easily. Once at the hotel, Kanoka excused herself to her room to allow Yamaguchi some time alone to unwind.

Yamaguchi dragged himself into the elevator, down the long hall, and to his room. He was surprised to find the room empty and void of any Pokemon or of Tsukki. He felt disappointed to find it in such a state, wanting nothing more than to be beside his best friend.

With a pained groan, Yamaguchi kicked off his shoes and face planted on his bed. He nuzzled his pillow for a moment as tears began to spill from his eyes. He knew he wasn't disqualified from the showcase, but that didn't make him feel any better about this big mishap. He had really let himself down and into so, let his team down.

He glanced over at the clock to find that it read 2:00pm. He needed to get up and practice before the day ended, but he knew in his current state he was going to be nothing but useless to Popplio. She deserved better than his sorry ass. Deciding he did need a good moment to calm down, he set the alarm on the clock for 4pm, promising to himself to dedicate the evening to practice. He then lay back down in bed and practiced the breathing exercises Shimada had taught him. With each breath out, he calmed down more and more before he was relaxed enough that he fell into a dreamless nap.

It was the sound of the door closing and a happy cry from Eevee that awoke Yamaguchi. The small shiny puffball lept from Tsukki's arms and nuzzled close to her beloved trainer. Yamaguchi gave a small start before allowing Eevee down his shirt. The baby Pokemon burrowed deep, snuggling close to Yamaguchi. The warmth and softness of her fur brought a bit of joy to his misery.

"I take it you didn't find anything?" Tsukishima mumbled as Yamaguchi heard him shuffle across the room and sit at the foot of the bed.

Yamaguchi groaned in reply as he rubbed his face with his hands.

"Are you just going to sit here all afternoon and feel sorry for yourself?" Tsukishima dryly asked.

"No!" Yamaguchi shortly replied as he removed his hands and glared at his friend.

Tsukishima merely smiled at him with one of his cocky smiles, but as always his eyes carried a softness he saved only for Yamaguchi. "Good, because a package came in for you," Tsukishima hummed, tossing a large brown box onto Yamaguchi's legs.

Very confused, Yamaguchi sat up, pulling the box into his lap. Eevee made a small squeak of protest as her position on Yamaguchi's chest altered. Yamaguchi ignored the grumbles of his beloved Eevee as he eyes the package.

"But… who?" Yamaguchi barely got out as he was still caught quite off guard.

"Open it up and find out," Tsukishima shrugged smugly.

Yamaguchi gave him a playful grimace before returning his attention to the package. He only hesitated a moment before peeling the tape off the box. With his breath held, he opened the lid to the boy to find a layer of very nearly folded tissue paper. He looked from the content to Tsukki. Tsukishima fought a smile as he motioned for Yamaguchi to carry on. Yamaguchi quickly returned his attention to the aforementioned paper. With a shaky hand, he peeled the paper back to reveal a very stunning light blue suit top whose buttons were adorned with shining crystal gemstones. Pinned into the collar was a small note.

With disbelieving shaking hands, Yamaguchi pulled the note from the corner and saw that it read. "Just in case - Shimada"

It didn't take long for Yamaguchi's gaping mouth to form into a bright smile. He plucked the suit top from the box to find a matching blue vest with matching gemstone buttons. Under the vest he found a pair of matching pants and under those was a soft white button up shirt with a sparkling blue bow tie. As Yamaguchi examined each piece of clothing he was surprised to also find a pair of shining white dress shoes.

"Why don't you try it on," Tsukishima suggested doing his best to sound disinterested.

Without a word, and forgetting about Eevee, Yamaguchi sprang from the bed. Eevee tumbled out of his shirt and onto the bed in a surprised heap. She sent her trainer and very disbelieving look before making herself comfortable beside Tsukki.

"Sorry, Eevee," Yamaguchi mumbled as he scooped up his prize and headed for the bathroom.

It didn't take him long to change and, to his surprise once again, the suit fit like a glove. It was neither too long nor too short in any place. As he looked himself over in the bathroom mirror, he felt like a million Pokedollars.

"But, how?" Yamaguchi sputtered in utter disbelief as he stumbled out of the bathroom in his new get up.

"Who cares how?" Tsukishima replied dryly as he examined Yamaguchi.

"Well, how do I look," Yamaguchi asked, striking a pose.

"You look great, I guess," Tsukishima complimented as he failed to hide the pink in his cheeks.

"You think so?" Yamaguchi asked as he examined his arms and legs once more. "I just can't believe how well it fits. How did Shimada know my size!?"

"He's your mentor. I guess and they just know these things?" Tsukishima shrugged.

"I don't recall ever telling him it myself though," Yamaguchi hummed as he tried to recall if he had.

"Well, now that that catastrophe has been averted, shouldn't you be focusing on practice?" Tsukishima cut in with a mocking hum.

"Right! Practice!" Yamaguchi almost shouted as he looked to the clock to see that it was only 3:00pm. "Plenty of time!" Yamaguchi said as he skipped into the bathroom to remove his new suit.

Tsukishima allowed himself to smile as he watched his friend skip away. Eevee looked up to him with a questioning purr. Tsukishima patted her head gently to reassure the baby Pokemon. "Remember, it's our secret," he whispered as Eevee snuggled up close to him once more.

Well now. I wonder if Shimada really knew Yamaguchi's size all on his own. It's a good thing the suite came but we all must agree that Yamaguchi would be great no matter what he wore. Now all we have to do is wait and see if Yama is really ready for his first showcase. Shine like the star you are, Yama 3

I am having internet troubles but will do my best to get a chapter up next weekend. If all goes according to plan than I should. I will also get back to everyone's reviews and comments once I have stable internet once more.

As always, thank you all so much for the kudoes, follows, bookmarks, review and likes. You don't know how much joy it brings me when a day is crap and I see a reply on this fic. It really gets be excited to come home and write. If you have time after reading please do drop on down and leave a comment or review.

Well, that is all for this week. See you all next chapter.


	26. Yama's First Showcase: Round 1

I hope you all are ready for the show case because here it is! Let's see if our Yama really is ready for his debut or not.

As always I want to thank my current beta reader. They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look

Let's all cheer on Yamaguchi!

Yama's First Showcase: Round 1

Yamaguchi could feel his pulse in his throat as he walked alongside Tsukishima to the castle where the showcase was due to take place. He had woken up that morning with barely enough time to slap himself together. He wore his normal clothes to the showcase for he had been advised by Shimada the night before to change in the provided locker rooms backstage so as to make sure he was as clean cut and fresh as could be.

Yamaguchi didn't say much as they walked. Most of what was going on around him was tuned out by his intense nerves and focus. Every step they took he would rerun the routine in his mind as well as recall the best way to pipe a perfect flower with buttercream. He knew he'd done all he could and more to prepare himself for the showcase, but he still wondered if he was really ready to face such a large crowd of people.

"You need to calm down before you dehydrate yourself from all your sweating," Tsukishima mumbled from beside Yamaguchi.

"S-Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied habitually.

"You are so ready for this," Kanoka added with cheer. "You've been practicing nonstop for days!"

"It's not the routine I'm worried about," Yamaguchi admitted aloud. "With all those eyes on me. I've never been good being the center of attention."

"And yet, you still decided to go with showcases," Tsukishima sassed, giving Yamaguchi's shoulder a soft bump. Yamaguchi sent him a small pout.

"Ya know, I heard that with lighting it's hard to really see the crowds from the stage… not that I've ever been on one," Kanoka said, trying to console him.

"Well, I hope it washes out the whole crowd or I might just vomit," Yamaguchi burped as he put a hand to his mouth.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima sighed stepping aside to not get vomited on. Fortunately for both him and Yamaguchi, the nauseousness passed before any vomiting occurred.

Once at the castle, the three trainers had to split up. Only being able to take his clothes and the Pokemon registered for the contest, Yamaguchi passed off his belongings to Tsukishima and Kanoka.

"It'd be great if you could get Eevee to watch while Swirlix, Popplio and I perform," Yamaguchi said as he passed Eevee off to Tsukki. "I'd like for her to get an understanding of showcases."

"You got it, boss," Tsukishima mumbled, gently cradling Eevee.

Yamaguchi sent him a look before carrying on with his instructions. "Then again, if she gets fussy and just wants to nap you don't have to force her to watch," he gently patted Eevee as he spoke.

"Spoiled," Tsukishima scoffed with much affection.

"Now you be good while your siblings and I win our first Key," Yamaguchi cooed as he bid farewell to Eevee. Eevee gave a small trill of affection in reply.

"Break a leg, Yamaguchi!" Kanoka sang from beside Tsukishima. "I believe in you."

"You have nothing to worry about," Tsukishima quietly added, his amber eyes lingering long and hard upon his best friend.

"I promise not to let you down," Yamaguchi replied more to Tsukki than anyone. "So please watch close when my turn comes."

Tsukishima gave a rare soft smile and a nod.

Yamaguchi felt his heart skip a beat as he savored the rare event. "I'll see you two after the show than," He barely got out, turning on his heels and heading for the locker rooms.

"We believe in you!" Kanoka shouted after.

As Yamaguchi entered into the area blocked off for contestants, he was handed a small key-shaped brooch and was told to fix it to his clothes while performing. It'd be used later for when the crowd voted in the 2nd round. The golden key brooch encased what looked to be a thermometer-like device that ran down the shaft of the key and ended at the heart shaped handle. The whole thing was about half the length of his hand. Yamaguchi carefully tucked the brooch away into his bag making note to remember to put it on.

There were two sets of locker rooms, one for the male contestants and the other for the female contestants. Both rooms led into a small waiting room decorated with large flat-screen TVs that the contestants could use to watch the competition. It didn't take Yamaguchi long to dress into his dashing blue show suit with it's shining white shoes. He fixed the key securely to his left lapel, making sure it didn't get in his way. Though his hair refused to cooperate, he still felt like a million bucks in the get up.

He found himself a nice seat by a large TV as he did his best not to panic. The room was filled with about 30 other contestants, both boys and girls all ranging from around his age. Some of the girls wore beautiful gowns adorned with ribbons and shining stones while others wore most costume-like clothes that seemed to fit some sort of theme. One girl in particular, who was flanked by a Glameow and a Murkrow, wore what looked to be a witches costume. The boys in the room were also a mixed bag. Many of them wore suits, similar to Yamaguchi's but in different colors. Other boys, much like the girls, had on themed clothes. One boy was even dressed in a Pikachu kigurumi. Perhaps Yamaguchi had been a bit extra the day before about his suit. Looking around the room, he hoped he didn't come across as too bland.

It wasn't long before a man with glasses entered the room. Yamaguchi recognized him as Mr. Takeda from the festival. It seemed as if many other contestants in the room recognized him as well, for everyone silenced upon his arrival.

"I want to welcome all you new contestants to the Camphrier Pokemon showcase and thank you all for participating," Takeda stated gleefully. "As you know, the showcase is due to begin in just a short while. You will all be sorted into the groups of 5. If you are placed in group one you will be first to go on stage and perform in the first round. After that group is done than the second group will go, then the third, and so on and so forth," Takeda carefully explained.

Yamaguchi hoped with all his heart to be sorted into a group that wasn't first or last.

"For this first event, you will all be judged by a panel of judges including myself. I am going to tell you now what the objective for the first round is," Takeda carried on in his explanation. His eyes were now more serious and sharp. "You are all expected to create one-dozen Pokepuffs in 40 mins. You must incorporate the Tamato Berry as a main ingredient of your Puffs. Remember that you are going to be judged on both flavor and decoration," He paused for what Yamaguchi assumed was dramatic effect. "Also, keep in mind that only one contestant from each group will move onto the next round."

It was in that moment Yamaguchi felt all sorts of knots in his stomach. If he didn't pass the first round, he wouldn't even be able to perform the routine he and Popplio worked so hard at. Not only that but he wouldn't be able to show Tsukki just how much he had grown since that gym battle. Yamaguchi believed in his baking abilities, but that didn't mean he'd win. For all he knew, every last person in the room could be top bakers as well.

He scanned the room to find a variety of emotions on all the other contestants' faces. Some looked just as terrified, if not more, as Yamaguchi. A few looked contemplative while others looked excited. He hated to admit it but it was nice to know he wasn't the only one on the verge of shitting his pants. But he had to focus on the matter at hand. What was he going to make today? Fortunately for Yamaguchi, Pokepuffs were not a stranger to him.

Takeda than bid the group a short farewell before a few stagehands instructed the contestants to turn their attention to a large screen at the front of the room. On the screen were 5 rows each numbered 'Group 1' to 'Group 5'. The screen flashed once and a picture of the contestant's faces and their names appeared on the screen. Yamaguchi quickly scanned to see that he had been placed in group 4. He released a sigh of relief. This would give him plenty of time to decide on his recipe for round 1.

Another 20 minutes passed before the TV's in the room, aside from the one showing the groups, flickered on to revealed Takeda standing on the stage they'd all soon be performing on. Yamaguchi's eyes fixed on the closest TV as Takeda hyped up the crowd. He had called both Swirlix and Popplio out so that they too could see the start of the contest with him.

"We're definitely going to win this!" Yamaguchi declared in determination to both Popplio and Swirlix. The two faithful Pokemon cheered in agreement.

It wasn't long before the first round of contestants were gathered and lead onto the stage. There were six kitchenettes set up in two rows of three with just enough room for the contestants to work their magic. Yamaguchi only half paid attention as round one started and ended for group one. He only really paid attention during the judging where a creepy trainer with red hair and a terrifying stare won the match alongside his Haunter. He was able to catch the trainer's name, Tendō Satori, and made an effort not the make eye contact with Tendō when he arrived back in the room.

The next two rounds passed in a very similar fashion. Six trainers would leave and only one would return. The pressure started to build up in Yamaguchi as round two came to a close. His heart knew he was ready for this but his mind kept questioning if he really was.

"Okay group 4, it's your turn to get up on stage," a stagehand called from the door.

Doing his best to remain calm, Yamaguchi recalled Popplio back into her ball and picked Swirlix up. "Let's show them what we are made of," Yamaguchi whispered into Swirlix's ear.

The cotton candy pokemon growled in agreement.

Yamaguchi, along with the six contestants in his group were lead onto the stage. Each had been assigned a space, and to Yamaguchi's horror, he'd been placed front and center. He had hoped for the second row behind. Though he wanted to ignore the crowd, he could not help but look out over the auditorium.

Kanoka was right. The light on the stage really did wash out the crowd for the most part but he was able to make out the tiers of seats in the back as well as the balcony seats that looked down upon the contestants. There had to be over five-hundred people in the room, watching them. For a moment he thought of Tsukki. He was somewhere in the sea of people watching him. He scanned the crowd one more but could not make out any faces. He wondered where Tsukki sat. Was he close up or in the balcony. He calmed as these thought's of Tsukki filled his mind.

"Contestants! Are you ready?" Takeda asked, his voice booming through the room drawing everyone attention. "You have 40 minutes to created your very best Pokepuff using Tomato Berries as a main ingredient!"

With a determined nod, Yamaguchi readied himself. He tied the provided apron around his waist and he gave Swirlix a small nod.

"On, your marks… Get set… BAKE!" Takeda shouted as the crowd erupted into a cheer.

Yamaguchi and Swirix jumped into the immediate action. They both made their way to the back of the stage where a pantry of any ingredient they could think of sat. Tripping around the other contestants, Yamaguchi, with the help of Swirlix's keen nose, were able to collect all the ingredients needed in record time. Being the first back at their station, Yamaguchi gave himself a small pat on the back.

"And it looks like first-time contestant Yamaguchi Tadashi has decided to go with what looks like a chocolate-themed Puff!" Takeda announced as Yamaguchi organized his ingredients on his counter space.

Takeda was right, as Yamaguchi had decided to go with an old family recipe that he'd been making with his mother and grandmother since he was small. Their famous decadent chocolate Pokepuff. The perfect treat to be paired with the spicy tomato berry.

He and Swirlix got to work, preparing the ingredients and mixing them together with expert precision. They would do a step in the recipe, tase and edit if needed. With Swirlix's nose and tongue, they were bound to have the most scrumptious Puffs in the group. He was in the zone and able to drown out everything around him. Yamaguchi didn't bother to look up from his station for he knew if he did he would encounter stage fright.

With his puff batter in the oven, he and Swirlix got to making the milk chocolate buttercream. The frosting has to be just right or his decorations were sure to fail. He could feel the pressure from all around. If his puffs didn't come out in time than they would not cool in time and his frosting would melt off the top. He had to be sure his decorations were on point this time.

Every now and then he would check the puff to see if they were done and with only 20 minutes left on the clock they'd finally risen enough to come out. He felt his stomach do an odd flip as he tossed them into the small freezer under his counter. He had to get them cool enough or he wouldn't have enough time to decorate.

"Okay Swirlix, just one more step and we can decorate," Yamaguchi instructed as he handed a freshly made bowl of vanilla buttercream to his partner Pokemon. "You mix in the red and I'll do the yellow for this one.

The two worked in unison as they made a variety of different colored of vanilla buttercream ranging from red all the way to purple. Once done with the mixing Yamaguchi looked to the clock to find that they had just over 10 minutes to decorate. He tried to fight his panic.

His limbs shaky with nerves, he juggled his tray of puffs out of the fridge and turned them out onto the table. He sighed in relief when none of them stuck to the pan.

"Let's decorate!" He declared as he passed a piping bag of chocolate frosting to Swirlix. The two worked in tandem to top each Puff with a swirl of chocolate frosting. They worked in precision making sure each swirl of frosting was just as precise and identical as the last.

It took them less than 5 Minutes to top off the puffs.

With his hands shaking he got to the decorating bit of the challenge. On each puff, he piped the most delicate of colored buttercream flowers as he could. He had spent weeks working on his piping skills, and it all added up to this moment. Each flower he piped was inspired by the flowers that grew back at home in Alola. As he piped his way through each puff, Swirlix would gently place them onto the serving tray.

As he frantically piped the last Puff the crow began to count down from ten. His heart almost jumped from his throat as he threw the last puff onto the tray with only 2 seconds to spare. Yamaguchi's was covered in sweat and vaguely aware that his face was smudged with globs of buttercream. He was pleased to see that his suit had made it out clean thanks to him rolling up his sleeves.

His eyes then wandered to his tray of 12 puffs. They were all uniform and it looked as if he was looking upon a small bed of freshly bloomed flowers. He felt pride well up in his chest. These flowers were a million times better than the ones he had made at the festival weeks ago. They were flowers he could be proud of.

"Now, contestants, let me introduce you to your three judges," Takeda sang as two men and a lady made their way onto the stage. "Our first judge here is the local Nurse Joy and her Audino."

"Hello contestants, all your Puffs look mighty delicious," Nurse Joy greeted as her Audino gave a cheerful trill.

"Your second Judge is the curator of the lovely castle," Takeda announced as an old man and a Honedge walked onto the stage.

"I am very excited to try your creations," the old man wheezed joyfully.

"Your final judge for today is the chairman of the Pokemon Club," Takeda a as he motion to a balled man with a bushy mustache. In his arms he held a small Pichu who looked more than excited to get eating.

The three judges and their Pokemon sampled each contestant starting from the back. Yamaguchi heard comments such ranging from "Oh my, how pretty" to "It's a bit dry and I can't taste the Tomato Berry". As the judges moved down the line, Yamaguchi looked out over the crowd. He scanned for Tsukki once more but really could not make out any details of the faces looking back. It wasn't long before the judges rounded on Yamauchi's workstation.

"Yamaguchi is it?" Takeda greeted. "I remember you from the festival."

"I-It's good to see you again," Yamaguchi greeted with a very ridged bow.

"I'll be happy to let Sugawara know one of his favorites from the festival has finally debuted," Takade gave a soft smile as he spoke. "And it looks like your decoration skills have greatly increased."

"Oh my, It's almost like I'm looking at real flowers," Nurse Joy sighed.

"They are all quite uniform, too," the curator wheezed. "Almost too pretty to eat."

"Such delicate piping work shows how much care was placed into each pokepudd," the club president added as his Pichu gave a happy squeak.

Once again Yamaguchi felt pride fill his chest. He did his best not to tear up too much from the joy he felt. This feeling of accomplishment was still so new to him.

"Shall we dig in, then?" The Curator asked, looking to the other two judges.

Each judge and their Pokemon took a Puff to try. Yamaguchi watched with bated breath as they all took large bites from his Puffs. All three Pokemon seemed to melt in joy upon their first bite. The anxiety in his chest melted away as Audino gave a small cry of joy before taking another bite.

"Oh my, these are quite delicious," Nurse Joy swooned. "So decadent, even my Audino is getting lost in the flavors."

"Yes, it's quite moist, and the spice from the Tomato Berry really shines through," The Curator said with a knowing nod. "It really is quite the treat."

"It seems I can't find a single flaw with this Puff," The Club President said, almost on the brink of tears. "Truly the best Puff we've had all day."

"Th-Thank you!" Yamaguchi barely got out. For the first time in his whole life, he felt like he was sure to win. All his nerves were gone and he felt nothing but confidence in himself, his Pokemon, and the Pokepuffs they had worked hard to make.

"You and Swirlix did a fantastic job. You should both be proud," Takeda praised.

Yamaguchi smile was as bright as the sun as he gave Swirlix a proud pat on the head. "I really couldn't have done it without her."

With that, the judges move to the next table. Yamaguchi's eyes followed them and saw that the last contestant was a girl who looked horrified to be judged after Yamaguchi. He felt bad for the girl but at the same time an odd sense of pride filled his chesr. No one had ever feared Yamaguchi as an opponent. The feeling was something new and he sort of liked it.

Once done with the last contestant, whose puffs were underbaked, the judges took their seats as Takeda took center stage.

"We will now announce the winner of group 4," Takeda announced.

Yamaguchi felt his heart give a fluttery beat from within his chest.

"It was a unanimous decision that Yamaguchi Tadashi is the winner of this round!" Takeda announced as the stage when dark except for a bright spotlight that shone done directly on Yamaguchi and Swirlix.

The crow roared with applause. Yamaguchi's body went numb as the moment sunk in. He had won. He had made it to round two! He and Swirlix had done it. Swirlix gave a shall cry of joy that snapped Yamaguchi back to the moment.

With a whoop of joy Yamaguchi scooped Swirlix up and gave her the largest hug he had ever given anyone.

"We did it! We made it to round 2!" Yamaguchi sang in utter glee. For the first time ever, he hadn't failed.

Yay! Out Yama made it through round one with flying colors. I knew he could do it. Let's see if he is able to keep the momentum going through round two now. Show us all the work you've been doing for your performance Yama! I believe in you!

So I should be getting the next chapter up in time by next weekend. Once March rolls around my upload schedule may go a bit wonky since I am going to be making a move. I will do my best in March and April to keep my uploads as consistent as I can but it may fall to a every other week upload until I get settled in at my new place.

As always, thank you all for such wonderful comments and and reviews. I if you have a moment feel free to go on down and leave a comment letting me know what you think of this chapter and the story as a whole. I love to hear from my readers more than anything. I also want to think people for leaving kudos, following me and bookmarking the story. I love to know that people are enjoying it.

Well, that is all for now. See you all next chapter!


	27. Yama's First Showcase: Round 2

Hey all! It's time for Yama to show us his fancy footwork! I hope our Yama performs well!

Sorry this chapter is a bit late. Life happens, what can I say ^_^;

I'd like to think my substitute beta reader heichousheadphones ( ) for taking time from their busy day to help me with my horrible grammar. They really came through this weekend last minute to get this bad boy beta read. Let's all thank them 3

Now, on to round two!

Yama's First Showcase: Round 2

His step as light as ever, Yamaguchi headed back to the waiting room. He did his best to hide his joy as he entered the small room. The other winning contestants paid him little mind as the last group passed by him for their turn at round 1.

Yamaguchi re-took his seat from before as he did his best to not overdo it with his excitement. He had really made it to round 2. He hadn't messed up. He was indeed on his way to becoming a winner.

"Oh Swirlix, you were amazing," Yamaguchi praised as he plucked one of his left over puffs from a box and handed it off to the cotton candy Pokemon. "Here, you deserve it!"

Swirlix gave a cry of joy as she snatched the Puff from his hands and dug in. With a bright smile, Yamaguchi watched her munch away, taking little notice when another contestant approached him.

"Well now, what do we have here?" Came a very mocking humm. Yamaguchi looked from Swirlix to find that Tendō was glaring down upon him. The trainers half lidded murderous eyes sent a shiver down Yamaguchi's spin.

A bit shaken by the sudden arrival of the trainer, Yamaguchi sat in stunned silence.

Tendō, without breaking eye contact with Yamaguchi, reached down, took a puff from Yamaguchi's box and bit into it. His eye thinned as they glared down upon Yamaguchi. They then widened almost in surprise.

Yamaguchi wondered why he always drew such negative attention from others. He didn't like the calculating way Tendō looked at him.

Tendō took another large bite from the puff before passing it off to his Haunter. The haunter gave a cry of joy as it ate the chocolate treat. Unlike it's trainer, Haunter didn't hid it's joy as it downed the Puff in one go.

"Lucky break, newbie!" Tendō sneered, his face shadowing his eyes in such a way that Yamaguchi felt as if he were being stared down by a predator. "Don't cry too hard when I crush you and your stupid little routine in round 2!" he growled as he got into Yamaguchi's face.

Yamaguchi released a loud yelp as he flinched away. Any sort of joy he had felt had now been replaced with pure horror. Was this Tendō guy going to beat him up? They hadn't even been in the same group!

"Hahaha! Just as I thought!" Tendō now mocked, backing off of Yamaguchi. "Another scaredy-skitty!" He sneered before sauntered off to the other side of the room and reclaiming his seat, not paying Yamaguchi any mind.

Yamaguchi was horrified. What was that trainer's problem! Yamaguchi hadn't said a damn word to the guy and he was all aggressive like that. He looked around the room to find that the other two remaining contestants looked utterly relieved to not be Yamaguchi right now.

Yamaguchi gave his head a shake. He couldn't let Tendō and the others get into his head. He had won the last round and he was going to give it his all for round 2. With a small slap to his face he did all he could to regroup himself.

Before long Yamaguchi recalled Swirlix to her ball and summoned Popplio out.

"Okay. Popplio! We made it to round two!" Yamaguchi explained with a cheer.

Popplio gave a bark of joy as she released a few small bubbles.

"If we focus I know we can win this, Popplio!" Yamaguchi said as he scooped Popplio into his arms. "I believe in you! I believe in us!" He whispered as he gave her a hug.

Once the final round of round one ended, the winning contestants made their way back into the waiting room, followed closely by Takeda.

"Okay, contestants, I am proud to say that you five are the only ones left and are moving on to round two! Congratulations," Takeda started off with much joy. "Now, in round two you will not just be judged by the panel of judges but also anyone watching so do your best to show as much appeal as you can!" Takeda cheered in such a way that everyone was pumped. "You will each go on stage in the order of your group number. You will perform your routine and once you are done you will return to this room. Once everyone has performed we will all head back up onto the stage for the voting!"

Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a flip as he listened to Takeda's explanation. He was ready now more than ever to show the world what he and his team were made of. Despite what Tendō said, Yamaguchi was not going to falter. Not this time.

Yamaguchi focused himself once more as Takeda left the room. He needed to stay calm. He needed to hold on to the confidence round one had given him.

Tendō was the first contestant to go. Yamaguchi watched from the TV as Tendō and his creepy Yamask gave a hunting performance. Of course Tendō had to have a Yamask. From the TV the routine looked quite cool but it must have been amazing to watch live judging by the reception of the audience. When Tendō returned he sent Yamaguchi a calculated glare but did not bother to talk with him. Yamaguchi all the while tried to ignore the red eyes of Tendō's Yamask.

The other two contestants went in a similar fashion. One girl and her Jigglypuff performed a very relaxing dance and song that Yamaguchi was certain put the crowd to sleep. He couldn't tell if it was intentional or not but the girl and her Jigglypuff looked quite proud when they entered the waiting room. The next contestant was an older girl and her Vaporeon who put on a water show that rivaled the most beautiful of water fixtures. Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a flip for he too had a water themed routine.

Before he knew it, Yamaguchi was being led out onto the stage. His heart was beating hard against his chest. It felt as if it was going to burst through his ribcage at any moment. Round one had been baking, something he was very accustomed to but the next round was different. It was his first time ever performing in front of anyone ever.

He swallowed his fears as best he could as he and Popplio took center stage. The lights were dimmed as he and Popplio took their places. He just had to focus. The routine was second nature to them both. They just needed to go with the flow of the music and they wouldn't have to worry.

With a sudden click, a light shone down upon Yamaguchi and Popplio. Yamaguchi's heart dropped into his stomach as he looked out into the darkness of the theater knowing there were thousands watching just him and Popplio.

"Presenting the next contestant, Yamaguchi Tadashi!" Takeda's voice rang out through the large theater.

Yamaguchi did his best to pull his heart from his stomach as the room erupted into cheers. A second later their music began and somehow both he and Popplio began their routine.

Popplio shot spurts of water at Yamaguchi danced around her. An upbeat Island song filled the theater as the two moved in tandem. Yamaguchi wanted to bring a bit of Alola to everyone in the crowd. He wanted to show them the calming waves and the soothing beaches he had grown up around and loved.

Popplio's Watergun turned into an Aquajet as she whirled around Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi did his best to dance in such a way that he reminisce an elegant diver. Their moves must have worked for the crowd 'oohed' and 'awed' at their movements. As Popplio swirled around she released several small bubbles that filled the seats, acting as sea foam.

The crowd cheered as Popplio finished of her Aquajet landing quite perfectly on Yamaguchi's shoulders. The act filled Yamaguchi with the power he needed for their last show stopping move. With his Waterium Z crystal secure on his wrist, he and Popplio began their synchronised dance. With their arms mimicking the waves of the sea, the two summoned up all the power they could.

As the crystal became fully charged, Popplio released a large Hydro Vortex that surrounded both her and Yamaguchi. The spout of water reached all the way to the cleaning. The crowd gasped and awed as Yamaguchi and Popplio disappeared from within it. With only a few moment time Popplio and Yamaguchi worked fast so they could stick their finishing move. The crowd gasped once more as the tornado of water broke showering them in drip drops of water. Many pointed to the stage to find that Yamaguchi and Popplio were nowhere to be seen.

It was only when they looked up did they notice that both Popplio and Yamaguchi were safe within one of Popplio's large bubbles. The bubble was accompanied by several smaller bubbles gracefully, all of which were floated back down, popping just in time for the song to stop.

Yamaguchi and Popplio stuck their landings center stage. They both gave a deep bow as the room erupted into the loudest cheers of the day. Yamaguchi once more felt a rush of pure pride as he stood center stage. He and Popplio than shared a large hug as the crowd cheered once more.

"Oh my, what a show!" Takeda cried into the microphone. "I mean that is the sort of thing we all come here to see, am I right?"

Even if he didn't win the key, Yamaguchi felt as if he and Popplio were still walking away today winners in their own right. With the crow still hyped, trainer and Pokemon exited the stage.

When entering the room, Yamaguchi ignored the galres from Tendō and the agape stares of the other contestants as he made himself comfortable in his seat.

"That was the best yet, Popplio!" Yamaguchi praised as he held her close. "You were just amazing!"

Popplio barked in pure joy as she nuzzled close to her trainer.

"Get a room, you two!" Tendō sneered from the other side of the room. Yamaguchi ignored his taunt.

As he waited for the other contestants to finish, he rewarded Popplio a job well done with one of the leftover Pokepuffs of his. The wait wasn't long and when the last contestant entered the room the group of five was asked to wait for just a bit before the winner was to be announced.

Yamaguchi could not believe it. Never in a million years did he think he'd make it all the way through the second round so smoothly. He didn't trip once in round one or two, he only fumbled a few things while baking and he and Popplio had performed their best routine yet. This was like a dream and every now and then he worried he'd wake to find himself in the hotel room.

After about 15 minutes Takeda entered back into the room. He had a large excited smile upon his face as he addressed the contestants. "The time has come for the voting!" he announced with much joy and excitement. "In case you don't know, both the audience here and the viewers at home are able to vote for their favorite contestant today," Takeda explained dutifully, his tone still quite giddy with excitement. "With each vote you receive your gauge on your pendant will fill up with light. Whoever's pendant lights up the furthest is the winner of the competition. Each of you will be assigned a color. The bottom of your pendent should glow that color in 3, 2 ,1," and on one he pushed a button and each contestant pendant glowed a different color.

Yamaguchi looked down to find his pendant glowing a striking gold that reminded Yamaguchi of Tsukki's eyes. He could not help but take this as a good sign.

Takeda then led the contestants up on to the stage. The curtain was drawn and the contestants were told where they had to stand. They stood alongside their two competing Pokemon in the order they performed in. Yamaguchi was much relieved for he'd rather stay as far away from Tendō's Yamask as he could.

With a loud roar, the curtains were pulled back and the contestants were revealed to the audience. Not a second later a spotlight matching the color of each contestants pendant shown down on each individually. Yamaguchi's spotlight was a beautiful amber color that really enhanced the gems that shown on his suit.

The crowd cheered once more as Takeda addressed them all openly.

"Yes, it is time for the vote," Takeda began with a large arm sweep. "To the audience and viewers at home you may use your controller to cast your vote. Each colored button on your controller corresponds with a contestant standing here on stage. Whatever button you click first will cast a vote to the contestant so push wisely!" he said with a wink. "You may start your voting now."

Yamaguchi went quite stiff as he did his best to smile for the crowd. He hoped the people viewing his performance liked it as much as it felt wonderful to perform. Yamaguchi wasn't given much time to worry over this for Takeda spoke up once more.

"All right, the votes are in so let's see who this years winner of the Camphrier Town Showcase is, ladies and gentlemen," Takeda announced, as he clicked a button.

Upon clicking the button a hologram of a key that resembled the broaches each contestant wore appeared above each one. Yamaguchi's key hollowgram glowed a beautiful amber. He looked up and admired with much awe only to realize he was the only contestant to do so. His cheeks went a bight pink as he heard Tendō stifle a laugh. He straightened up doing his best to swallow his embarrassment.

"If a contestant gauge finished filling before the other's their spotlight will go out," Takeda explained to both the crowd and contestants. "The last person with their spotlight still on them has been voted the winner! Now, let's tally those votes," He cheered as he pushed another button on his controller.

Yamaguchi's body went tense as he laced his fingers and prayed for victory. Popplio and Swirlix followed in similar suit just as worried as their trainer. Bright glowing lights of multiple colors rose up from the crow and floated towards the contestant of whose color they matched. Yamaguchi watched in awe as several amber orbs floated from the crowd into the pendent on his lapel. Both the gauge on his lapel and the hologram above him began to fill with an amber light. It filled in the similar to the way a thermometer fills.

Yamaguchi gave a small jump as two spotlights went out beside him. Both contestants bursted into tears. He looked back to the crow to see even more amber light coming his way. Form what he could tell there were more amber light than any other color. The lights floated to his chest and disappeared into his pendent. He held himself more open now as they did so.

One more spotlight went out and Yamaguchi looked over to find that Tendō was the only one left other than himself. The other trainer shot Yamaguchi a glare before snubbing him all together. Yamaguchi looked forward once more as more lights filled his gauge. With another loud lick the final spotlight clicked off and Yamaguchi was the only one left standing under a spotlight. A loud sneer could be heard from where Tendō stood but Yamaguchi barely paid it any mind.

His body went numb with disbelief. Had he really just won? The crowd erupted into applause as Yamaguchi stood stunned on the stage. He heard Takeda say something but could not make it out over the cheering of the crowd. The next thing he knew he was being lead forward into a much larger spotlight center stage.

It was only than that Yamaguchi reacted. He scooped both Popplio and Swirlix into a large hug whispering words of thanks to them both. They had really done it! Not only had they made it through a full showcase but they had won it and it felt great.

Takeda made his way over to where Yamaguchi stood, his Klefki floating circles around his head. "Congratulations, Yamaguchi Tadashi, you have won the Camphrier Town Showcase. Let me present to you your reward," he announced as Klefki zipped out in front.

The small keychain Pokemon handed Yamaguchi an ornate silver key adorned with beautiful amber gems along its shaft. Its handle ended in a crescent moon shaped gem adorned with one star. Yamaguchi took the key from the small fairy type and studied it for a long moment. He had really done it. He'd won for the first time ever.

Yamaguchi than smiled down at his two Pokemon partners. "We did it, guys! We won our first key!" He cried in joy, showing it off to them. The three cheered in a very picturesque manner as the crowd cheered once more.

This was definitely one of the best days of his life.

Yay! Yamaguchi and his team did it! They won the showcase. So proud of our soft boy! I wonder what Tsukki thought of the whole thing. How will he congratulate dear Yama? What does this win mean next for our budding protagonist? Stay tuned to find out!

Hey all. Once again I want to stay sorry that this chapter is out a bit late. Life happens. I should be able to get chapter 28 up and out come the weekend. Keep an eye out for it.

Thank you all again for leaving me such great feedback. I love to hear from my dear readers. Your thoughts and encouragement really fuels me to keep going with this fic. Honestly it has been hard to keep up with writing lately. My life is just super busy right now but I am hoping things calm down come April. But seeing everyone's feedback always gives me a boost to keep going! Thank you all so much 3

I am also on the look out for a part time beta reader for weeks when my current beta reader is unable to beta read. When I say part time I mean someone who would be willing to give a chapter a beta read when needed. I am not comfortable posting chapters without a beta read since I make a lot of spelling and grammar errors when I write. Having a back up would really help out a lot when things go crazy in the back end :P If you are interested feel free to message me on tumblr pastaprincess or send me a message here. I use Google Docs to share the chapter to my beta reader so a email would be the best for that. Let me know if you are interested!

Well, that is all for now. I will see you all next chapter!


	28. Return of the Night Intruder

Yes, my dear readers! Chapter 28 is here! It's time for Yama to meet up with Tsukki and get that oh so sought after reaction from our tall blond boy.

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Now, on to chapter 28!

Return of the Night Intruder

Yamaguchi could not wait to see Tsukki and Kanoka. He had to know what they thought of the performance. Once he was excused off the stage he rushed to the waiting room to gather his things and quickly changed back into his street clothes. He then made his way to where the contestants were able to exit into the rest of the castle. He waited near where he, Tsukki, and Kanoka had split up before the contest. The waiting area was packed, and Tsukki nor Kanoka were anywhere to be seen so Yamaguchi waited patiently by a marble bust of some old man and his Lillipup for them to arrive.

As people passed they wished Yamaguchi warm congratulations on his win. He would reply with a shy smile and a small thank you. As people passed, he looked into the crowd of moving legs falling into a dream-like glow. His heart was happy and his mind lighter then it had been in ages.

As he stood, he looked at nothing in particular, and it was only after a group of small children passed did Yamaguchi see it. Two red eyes resembling the ones from the night at the Pokemon center were watching him from a decorative plant on the other side of the hall. The body of the eyes was shrouded in shadow and Yamaguchi could not make out what or who it was. No one else seemed to notice the eyes. Yamaguchi blinked several times, wondering if he was seeing things. He felt an odd shiver as the unblinking eyes looking at him and only him.

He wanted to yell. But he also didn't want to make a scene. He felt his heartbeat become heavy as he looked back at the eyes. The red eyes blinked twice, almost holding an inquisitive hint. Yamaguchi's fear started to melt into wonder as well. Perhaps it was from just winning his first showcase, but he became oddly curious about the red-eyed stalker.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. Scaredy-Skitty," Tendō sneered as he stepped in front of Yamaguchi and roughly ruffled his hair. "Congratulations!"

"Hey!" Yamaguchi spat as he ducked away from Tendō, only to find that the glowing eyes were gone. "What did you do tha-... Tendō…" Yamaguchi felt his heart drop at realizing who it was that had greeted him so roughly.

"What? Aren't you happy to see me? You got something you want to say?" Tendō growled as he got into Yamaguchi's face. He seemed to enjoy Yamaguchi's discomfort.

Yamaguchi shrank away as he backed into the wall. He might've been able to defeat Tendō on the stage, but in other forms of combat he wasn't so sure. The older trainer looked terribly bothered and upset as he loomed over Yamaguchi.

"I don't like losing, kid!" Tendō spat, his eyes large and crazy. "I will smash anyone who gets in my way," as has he spoke he slammed a threatening fist upon the wall, only inchest from Yamaguchi's face.

Yamaguchi flinched but did his best to stand his ground. Betraying his efforts, his knees shook.

"Is little baby scared?" Tendō hissed with an evil smirk. He seemed to be enjoying Yamaguchi's feared response.

This wasn't the first time Yamaguchi had been pushed against a wall by large stronger trainers. His best option was to not react and encourage further violent behavior.

Tendō came close to Yamaguchi's ear. Yamaguchi could feel his hot breath wisp the sensitive skin of his neck. "Next time I am going to smash you into the ground," he whispered, following it with an almost evil laugh.

It took everything in Yamaguchi not to whimper. Tendō horrified him. He was just as creepy as the Yamask from the forest, and he hated it.

"Don't you dare touch him," an angry voice growled and before Yamaguchi knew it Tendō was being ripped away from him by none other than Tsukki.

"T-Tsukki!" Yamaguchi gasped in relief.

Tsukishima had Tendō's collar in his fist as he pinned him to nearby pillar. Tendō seemed both shocked and thrilled by the sudden appearance of Tsukki.

"Tsukishima!" Kanoka shouted from behind, unsure of whether to break it up or not. She held a very upset Eevee who was currently struggling to get to Yamaguchi.

"Oh my, look like the Scaredy-Skitty has a bodyguard," Tendō teased gleefully. "I better watch my step."

"You stay away from him!" Tsukishima warned in a deep growl. He looked as if he was ready to smack the grin right off Tendō's face.

"Tsukki, no!" Yamaguchi cried from behind. If a fight broke out, Tsukki would get in trouble.

"If you want me to stay away from your boyfriend then you better keep him away from showcases," Tendō shot back. He wasn't scared of Tsukki. "Who knows what might happen to him if we are in the same contest again. It would be a shame if he were to get hurt." Tendō grinned at Tsukishima's glowing hot eyes. Tendō had surely just bought himself a one-way ticket to hell.

"Tsukki, stop!" Yamaguchi cried once more. He raced forward and pulled Tsukki's arm down until Tsukki released his hold on Tendō. "It's not worth it," he whispered.

"If I ever see you around Yamaguchi-" Tsukishima growled, getting between Tendō and Yamaguchi.

"What are you going to do, big boy? Hit me?" Tendō cut in with a loud laugh.

"You can get in trouble if they find out you are bullying other contestants like this," Kanoka bravely snapped as she juggled to keep hold of Eevee.

"Oh, two bodyguards!" Tendō joked as if he were overwhelmed by Kanoka's warning.

"We will report you!" Kanoka sharply came back.

"I didn't do anything wrong… It's not like I touched him or nothing!" Tendō shrugged. His horrifying eyes then landed on Yamaguchi once more. "Can't wait to beat you into the ground next competition. I won't go so easy on you," He sneered.

Yamaguchi did his best to stand his ground, but Tendō's crazy eyes unsettled him on several levels causing the shaking in his knees to intensify.

Tendō gave a small wink before turning and head off into the crows of people. Still shaken by the day as a whole, both good and bad, Yamaguchi leaned heavily upon the wall behind him. He released a heavy sigh as he tried to wrap his mind around everything.

"If that guy ever bugs you again, tell me," Tsukishima cooly commanded as he discreetly checked over his best friend.

"T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed but smiled as he looked to his best friend. "It's been a long day."

"You were great up there," Tsukishima bluntly replied.

"Congratulations on the win, by the way," Kanoka added with a cheer before handing off Eevee to Yamaguchi.

The shiny Pokemon nuzzled her beloved trainer in the most possessive of ways. Perhaps she didn't enjoy the way Tendō had been talking to him, or perhaps she was feeling unsettled with so many strangers about. Nonetheless, the act warmed Yamaguchi's heart.

"Let's get out of here." Tsukishima grumbled, looking around at the large crowd. He then took Yamaguchi by the wrist and lead him out of the building, Kanoka following close behind.

It was much quieter outside, and Yamaguchi was able to sort out his feeling and thoughts. Despite his run-in with Tendō, he was still able to feel excited about his win. He had really won his first key! He really wasn't such a loser after all.

Once at their hotel, Yamaguchi showed off the key to his two friends. All three sat on Yamaguchi and Tsukishima's large bed. Eevee slept positively in Yamaguchi's lap while Swirlix and Popplio snuggled close on a nearby armchair, soaking up the late noon sun.

"Wow, it's so cute!" Kanoka admired with a glint in her eyes. "Maybe I should start showcases too!"

"I can't believe I won my first key at my very first showcase," Yamaguchi said still in half disbelief. "I keep worrying it's just a dream."

"It's not a dream," Tsukishima bluntly cut in. "You won it fair and square," he cooly spoke as his amber eyes seemed to shin with so much affection for his best friend.

"Did….. did you really like the routine?" Yamaguchi shyly asked, his cheeks went quite pink.

"It was perfect. Your hard work shone through with every step," Tsukishima confirmed, his tone soft and steady. It was a tone he used for only when he addressed Yamaguchi in moments such as this.

Yamaguchi felt a very happy flutter swirl up in his chest. His cheeks grew even darker from the compliment. "I'm glad you liked it," He replied with a smile that rivaled even the most beautiful of stars. "I really wanted it to be a surprise."

"That last move," Kanoka cut in. "It was amazing! You should have seen both Tsukishima and Eevee. They looked like they were about ready to jump on stage and save you!" She carried on as she outed Tsukishima.

"T-Tsukki?" Yamaguchi gasped as he tried not to smile too widely. "Were you worried for me?"

"No more risky moves like that! They are dangerous!" Tsukishima grumbled, neither confirming or denying Kanoka's accusations. He refused to look Yamaguchi in the eye as he did so.

"Thanks, Tsukki! I appreciate how you always look out for me," Yamaguchi carried on as he leaned towards his best friend.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima grumbled, only slightly leaning away from Yamaguchi.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied with a dopey grin.

All the while, Kanoka held back the urge to laugh.

It wasn't long before the sun had set and the three trainers made their way out to the nicest restaurant in town to celebrate Yamaguchi's win. It was new for Yamaguchi, to have to many strangers congratulate him on the win, but it wasn't unwelcome. People would wave and smile and he would give a small shy wave back and a polite thank you. There was even a moment where a small girl of about seven approached him and spoke of how amazing his performance was and how she someday wished to do something like that.

Once they made it to the restaurant, they were seated immediately and given a free appetizer with their meal to celebrate. Yamaguchi had never been rewarded free food like this before from a restaurant. Both Tsukki and Kanoka seemed delighted for Yamaguchi when he received praise from a fan, reminding him over and over how hard he had worked and how much he deserved it.

With every warm compliment received, a confident warmth bloomed more and more in Yamaguchi's chest. This is how it felt to be a winner. It was truly an addicting sensation, and he definitely wanted to win again.

It was late by the time the three had finished dinner and headed back to their hotel. Yamaguchi was exhausted. With Eevee asleep in one arm, he struggled to stay awake as they walked.

"Am I going to have to carry you the rest of the way?" Tsukishima mumbled as he eyed his sleepy best friend. His comment won him a small giggle from said best friend.

"It really was a busy day, wasn't it?" Kanoka hummed from the other side of Yamaguchi. "I'm definitely crashing the second we get to the hotel."

"I second that!" Yamaguchi yawned in agreement. With the starry night shining down upon them, Yamaguchi looked forward to a calm, quiet sleep. He could finally allow himself to relax with the showcase over, and he was going to take advantage of this time until his next showcase.

Once at the hotel, the two boys and Kanoka parted ways and made plans to meet up the next day. Yamaguchi walked close to Tsukishima, using his friend as support as they made their way down the hall. Once in front of their room, they noticed something very odd. The door to their room was cracked open ever so slightly and it looked as if someone had kicked the doorknob right off.

"What the-!?" Yamaguchi gasped as they approached. For a moment a flash of Tendō and his Yamask passed in his mind sending a shiver down his spin.

Tsukishima put a hand in front of Yamaguchi, signaling for him to stay back. Yamaguchi did as he was told, holding Eevee close as he stepped back behind Tsukki. The two then listened carefully. It was faint but there was indeed a rustling in the room.

"Tsukki-" Yamaguchi began before Tsukki put a finger to his lips, motioning for him to keep quiet.

Tsukishima than plucked Salazzle's Pokeball from his pocket and quietly summoned her. Being a smart lizard, she picked up almost right away the urgency of the situation. Tsukishima signaled for her to come closer but keep quiet.

"Yamaguchi, when I open the door you stay back," Tsukishima commanded, shooting Yamaguchi a no-nonsense glare.

Yamaguchi nodded in understanding, holding Eevee securely against his chest.

Pleased with Yamaguchi's corporation, Tsukishima approached the door. He and Salazzle only hesitated a moment before swinging the door open. As the light from the hall flooded into the room the intruder was revealed. Yamaguchi peaked around Tsukki to find a very odd scene taking place right on their bed.

Sitting upon their bed on Yamaguchi's side was a small blue Pokemon with glowing red eyes that Yamaguchi recognized immediately. The Pokemon was bipedal, with a black mask and two floppy black ears. Yamaguchi immediately identified this Pokemon as a Riolu.

The small Riolu sat stiffly on the bed, it's shocked red eyes looking directly at Tsukki. In it's lap was the box containing the leftover Pokepuffs Yamaguchi had made during the first round of the competition. The box's lid sat far on the other side of the bed as if it had been arbitrarily tossed aside. As Yamaguchi looked closer, he noticed that the Riolu had chocolate buttercream smeared all over its face and forepaws. The box in it's lap was quite empty.

Riolu's sharp eyes went from Tsukishima and stopped on Yamaguchi. A hint of interest shone as the small Pokemon studied the freckled trainer. Yamaguchi stared back, quite shocked. Had this little Riolu been the one to steal their food and sneak in at the Pokemon center while he was sleeping?

"What the crap?" Tsukishima grumbled flipping on the light to the room. Salazzle moved quickly, slipping inside like a snake.

Almost like a switch had been flipped, the Riolu sprung from the bed onto the nearby armchair. It sent warning growl to both Tsukishima and Salazzle, the latter of which hissed back, not afraid of the small fighting type.

"Salazzle, Poison Gas!" Tsukishima swiftly commanded.

Salazzle did as she was told, but the Riolu was far too quick. The small Pokemon dodged the attack, then charged Salazzle. It made to punch the black lizard but at the last moment jumped clear over Salazzle and toward the door.

Tsukishima gave a frustrated grunt as he tried not to lose sight of the blue blur.

As Riolu ran from the room Yamaguchi yelped, jumping aside. The small Riolu stopped only for a moment to gaze upon the startled Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi held Eevee close as he returned Riolu's look, wondering what the Pokemon wanted from him. But before any more could be done, the Riolu turned tail and ran down the hall. Tsukishima and Salazzle followed the Pokemon in hot pursuit.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi cried as he wondered if he should follow after as well. He watched with a troubled look upon his brow as Tsukki and Salazzle disappeared behind the corner. Something about the Riolu tugged at Yamaguchi.

It wasn't long before Tsukishima and Salazzle returned empty-handed. Tsukishima stomped into the room, joining Yamaguchi on the bed. A pouty Salazzle slumped down on the armchair near where Tsukishima slept.

"Got away?" Yamaguchi softly asked.

"Went down a laundry shoot," Tsukishima grumbled.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod as silence hung in the room. Yamaguchi was exhausted at this point. The day had been one of the craziest he had ever experienced and his mind was far too tired to process it properly.

"What are we going to do about the doorknob?" Yamaguchi asked after a long moment.

"I'll call the front desk," Tsukishima sighed, rolling over and reaching for the hotel lobby phone.

It was well after midnight that the two trainers were finally able to get to sleep. It had taken the hotel staff a good while to arrive at the room and took even more time for Yamaguchi and Tsukishima to explain what happened. They had been provided with a temporary doorknob and a shower of apologies for such a break in. The poor man helping seemed baffled by how a Riolu had been able to sneak in and break open a door to a room in the first place.

The second the lights went out Yamaguchi was drifting in and out of sleep. With Eevee held snug in his arms and Tsukishima right beside him, Yamaguchi felt more relaxed than ever.

"Man, today was just wild," Yamaguchi sighed, unable to keep his eyes open.

"I'm going to need a vacation," Tsukishima flatly replied.

"What do you mean? It's your turn to train," Yamaguchi jokes his voice cracking from a suppressed giggle. "You have your gym battle next."

"Don't remind me!" Tsukishima groaned.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi laughed.

A moment of silence hung in the air as the two best friends allowed themselves a moment to relax.

"You were really amazing today," Tsukishima spoke in an almost inaudible whisper.

Yamaguchi felt his heart skip a beat as his stomach went all fluttery. He could barely handle such a compliment from Tsukki. "T-Thanks!" he replied as he tried his best to regain control of his beating heart.

Another moment hung between the two, both too flustered to say much more.

"G-Goodnight, Tsukki," Yamaguchi eventually whispered.

"Goodnight, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima contently sighed from beside him.

With that, the two trainers drifted into a much-needed sleep.

Well, that concludes Yamaguchi's first showcase! Out boy has grown so much in the past month or so! So proud of him. But is he really ready for what is to come next? Will he and Tsukki keep climbing the metaphorical ladder of life? What obstacles will come their way? What about that little Riolu? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned!

Hey all! So next week I will be moving to a new place so we probably won't be getting a new chapter. Sorry for the delay. We might be switching to an every other week format until April/May but I will do my best to keep you all updated on that. I am happy I was able to get through the first Showcase stuff before the move though so that wont be hanging in limbo.

As always I want to thank you all so much for the kind comments and reviews I always get on this fic! I love to hear from my readers so do leave a comment/review and let me know what you think. Also thanks to everyone who has left me kudos, bookmarks and follows on this fic. Any sort of feedback really helps fuel my writing tank! I also want to thank everyone who was kind enough to offer to be a part time Beta reader. I really appreciate it. A lot more people offered than I had expected and am really touched 3

Well, that is all for now. See you next chapter.


	29. The Fear of Confessing

Hey all! Yes I am still here! Yes I am still alive. Yes here is chapter 29 just for you all. I hope you enjoy 3

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

I choose you, chapter 29!

The Fear of Confessing

Yamaguchi woke the next morning feeling more rested than ever. He, Tsukki, and Kanoka had plans to head out that morning and carry on with their journey. Yamaguchi worked quickly that morning to pack his bag, for he had one very important thing he needed to do before heading out. With Kanoka and Tsukki still readying themselves for departure, Yamaguchi made his way to the 1st-floor lobby of the hotel where several computers could be found for guests to use.

Yamaguchi found a computer at the far corner of the small PC room. Fortunately for him, no one else was making any calls. He sat at his computer and hesitated for a long moment. He hoped it wasn't too early to make a call, but he knew if he didn't do it now he wouldn't have another chance for a few days. Giving his head a swift shake, he set his worries aside and pressed the call button.

The computer rang several times before the person on the other line picked up. As the camera on the other end picked up Yamaguchi was pleased to see Shimada smiling brightly at him.

"Oh, Yamaguchi! Good morning," Shimada greeted cheerily. The man looked to already be dressed and ready for the day despite it being so early.

"Good morning," Yamaguchi replied with a bright smile of his own. "I hope my call isn't disturbing anything," he added softly.

"No worries at all," Shimada insisted. "I've been awake for quite a while. I saw your performance yesterday! You were amazing! I never would have guessed it was your first showcase," he gushed like a proud parent.

"It was all thanks to you," Yamaguchi insisted. "If you hadn't pushed me, I never would've ever tried showcases."

"Nonsense! You came up with that routine all on your own, and it was great," Shimada praised, his eyes shining with pride for his protege. "I knew I saw something special in you."

"I...I" Yamaguchi stuttered as his cheeks went red. Such comments rarely ever came his way. He hadn't a clue of how to reply. "Th-Thank you," he decided to go with in the end.

Shimada smiled brightly, seemingly enjoying Yamaguchi's flustered reaction. "You better get used to compliments like that if you keep up with such extravagant routines."

"Well, I-... I," Yamaguchi sputtered, unsure how to reply to that. He really wasn't equipt for this kind of teasing.

"Now, I take it you had a reason to call me..." Shimada hummed, finally deciding to give Yamaguchi some peace.

"Y-Yes," Yamaguchi sighed, still feeling quite flustered. He gave himself a quick second before carrying on. "I just wanted to thank you so much for sending me the wonderful suit. You really saved my life."

"Hey, not a problem. Anything for my number one protege," Shimada said with a wink. "But you can't just thank me. It was your tall friend… what's his name? Tsukishima. It was his idea that I send you one of my old suits."

As Shimada spoke Yamaguchi felt his ears heat up. "Tsukki asked you to send it?" he asked without realizing he had done so.

"Yeah, he helped me pick out your measurements and even waited around to pick up the package," Shimada carried on as he recalled the whole ordeal. "He was very insistent that I send something if I had it, and of course I was more than willing to help out."

"Tsukki asked…" Yamaguchi repeated once more in a very far off tone. He felt his heart beat loudly in his chest and his stomach went all fluttery. The idea of Tsukki going out of his way for him made Yamaguchi feel all sorts of funny tickling emotions that he would never admit aloud. Why hadn't Tsukki told him about this?

"Yeah, didn't he tell you?" Shimada asked, mildly confused.

"No, he just told me I got a package and that's it," Yamaguchi replied in a new sort of flustered than before. The more he thought about Tsukki doing this the more his face when red and his heart beat out of control.

Shimada studied Yamaguchi for a long moment with a very knowing smile on his face. "I see…" He eventually said with a snicker. "Oh, to be young again," he then said in dramatic whimsy.

"It's not like that," Yamaguchi mumbled in denial. It very much was like that from Yamaguchi's end but he wasn't going to admit it.

"Right," Shimada said with a sigh-like chuckle. "Well, let me know when you've decided on your next competition and we can discuss what you have planned."

"It'll probably be after Tsukki's next gym battle, so you might not hear from me in a while," Yamaguchi explained. "In the meantime, I plan to work on my fashion skills and do a bit of fact studying."

"Sounds like a plan," Shimada agreed.

With that, mentor and protege bid each other a friendly farewell.

Yamaguchi could not believe Tsukki had kept the full story of the suit from him. Why hadn't he said he'd helped Shimada pick out the blue suit when he received it? He wanted to march right up to Tsukki and scold him for it, but at the same time he was unable to get his heart under control.

Tsukki had picked out his suit. The blue suite with its shining buttons and white shoes. Yamaguchi had fallen in love with it the moment he set eyes on it, and Tsukki had been the one to pick it out. Had Tsukki known Yamaguchi would love it or was it just a coincidence? How long had it taken him to decide on the outfit or did Shimada only have one? These thoughts raced through Yamaguchi's mind, making it quite hard for him to concentrate.

It was late morning by the time the three had hit the road. Yamaguchi still hadn't confronted Tsukki about the suit, for every time he so much as thought about doing so, his stomach would do a flip. He liked to pretend he didn't know why his chest felt so light and why his stomach so twisted every time he looked at his best friend, but he was well aware of what those feelings meant. Fortunately for Yamaguchi, Tsukki didn't seem to be aware of Yamaguchi's odd behavior, and if he was he didn't show it.

The three walked along the path that led to Cyllage City. From where they were, it would take them several days before they made it to their next destination, which Yamaguchi was fine with. He was more than ready for a bit of rest to clear his buzzing mind.

It was late noon by the time the three trainers and their Pokemon decided to stop and set up camp for the night. Yamaguchi got to whipping together a quick lunch while Tsukki and Kanoka set up camp for the night. Yamaguchi had to admit that it was nice having a third body helping with setting up camp, as it made settling in much quicker.

"I don't know how you do it," Kanoka sighed as Yamaguchi passed her a plate of pasta. "How do you whip together such delicious meals in such short a time? I lived off of rice balls and sandwiches when I was traveling alone."

"Just practice, I guess," Yamaguchi shrugged as he passed a plate to Tsukki. "Anyone could do it."

"You need to open a restaurant or something someday," Kanoka hummed before taking a bit of the dish. "So good!"

"My family already owns a bakery," Yamaguchi said with a small laugh. "So, it's almost like a restaurant."

"That explains it," Kanoka said making an ah-ha sort of gesture. "That's where your baking skills come from! What about you, Tsukishima? You and Yamaguchi are from the same Alonan Island, right?"

Tsukishima looked to Kanoka as if he'd rather not be part of the conversation. "My dad and mom are researchers. They were stationed there when I was 10…" he eventually replied.

"And that explains why you are so smart!" Kanoka pointed out in another ah-ha moment.

"What?" Tsukishima grumbled, not impressed by the comment.

"Tsukki really is the smartest!" Yamaguchi agreed adamantly.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima snapped with a roll of his eyes.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi laughed before adding a quiet. "But it's true."

Lunch passed just as quickly as it came, and before long the three trainers had scouted out a large open area for themselves to practice. Yamaguchi sat with his back to a tree and Eevee asleep in his lap as he watched Tsukishima try his best to make Frogadier and Snivy work together, as the two stubborn Pokemon obviously wanted to please their trainer but equally did not want anything to do with each other.

Yamaguchi could not help but admire Tsukishima's ability to convince the two Pokemon to cooperate. He was so strong and never took no for an answer. Tsukki wasn't afraid to tell people what they needed to hear, though sometimes he went too far. He was rough on the outside, but always gentle with those he cared for. He was everything Yamaguchi aspired to be and more.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink as his mind shifted to more physical attributes of his best friend. Tsukishima's body was tall and lean in the best way possible. His arms were long and toned, and on many occasions, Yamaguchi wished to know how it felt to be wrapped in them. He longed to cuddle close to Tsukki's broad chest in the way Eevee often does. He wished to nuzzle the silky smooth skin of Tsukki's neck and to feel his soft golden hair felt against his freckled cheek. He longed more than ever to taste those lips that were often set to a scowl. As these thoughts rapidly passed thoughts Yamaguchi's mind, his cheeks became hot.

"Hey! How's it going?" Kanoka asked, plopping herself down next to Yamaguchi.

"Ack!" Yamaguchi squeaked, almost falling over in his surprise.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Kanoka replied sheepishly. "Did I disrupt something?"

"N-No! No!" Yamaguchi insisted. "I was just… thinking is all," he came up with on the spot. It was true though. He was thinking… about Tsukki.

Kanoka gave an understanding hum as she studied Yamaguchi for a long moment. "I've been thinking, too," she quietly admitted.

"Oh, have you?" Yamaguchi asked, looking at Tsukki for a split moment. He hoped she wasn't thinking about Tsukki.

"Yeah…" Kanoka sighed as she seemingly entered a moment of heavy thought.

Yamaguchi looked to her, wondering what could be on her mind. She looked a little disappointed and quite down. Now that he thought about it, she had been acting quite odd since they had left that morning.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Yamaguchi offered, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Kanoka looked to Yamaguchi and studied him for a long quiet moment. "I don't mean to bring the mood down," She sighed, though she really looked as if she wanted so badly to talk about whatever it was.

"Don't worry, you won't," Yamaguchi insisted in as reassuring a voice as he could.

Kanoka gave another small hum before giving her reply. "Well, the thing is," she started as if she was still unsure what to say. "Yamaguchi, have you ever been in love?" when she asked this, she looked at him with quite desperate eyes.

Almost on instinct Yamaguchi's eyes flashed to Tsukki before looking back to Kanoka. "W-What?" he somehow got out.

"Sorry, that came out wrong," Kanoka half laughed, with a shake of her head. "I mean, have you ever liked someone and you didn't know if they liked you back?" She clarified.

Once more Yamaguchi glanced to where Tsukkiwas currently scrolling a pouting Frogadier. A moment of guilt settled in his stomach. "M-maybe… I mean, hasn't everyone at one point or another?" he replied best he could.

Kanoka didn't seem to take notice of the look's Yamaguchi had sent to Tsukki and if she did she was hiding it well. "See, when I was a kid I had this friend, Tanaka," Kanoka began, now looking at the grass. "He was a great guy, he was always so kind to me and really taught me how to love myself," as she spoke she seemed to be thinking back about very fond memories.

"That sounds nice," Yamaguchi hummed, recalling his own memories of how Tsukki was always by his side growing up.

"He and I traveled for a bit together when we were kids. He helped me learn how to be a strong trainer and believe in myself. I really liked him back then, but I never said anything," Kanoka carried on. "When I moved away I thought I would never see him again but I never forgot about him."

"You moved away?" Yamaguchi asked, his tone unfortunate.

"Yeah, once I arrived back home from my travels my dad's company had him transfer from the Sinnoh office to one in Hoenn. I was still too young back then to be in another region on my own like I am now so I had to move with them," Kanoka seemed regretful as she spoke. "It was hard parting with him."

"Oh, that sounds terrible," Yamaguchi comforted. He would have died if he and Tsukki had been separated like that. He couldn't imagine a single day go by without Tsukki by his side.

"He and I kept in touch for a few years but I haven't talked with him in ages," Kanoka now sent Yamaguchi a very desperate look as she spoke. "And the thing is, he works at the Cyllage City Gym," she looked quite torn as she said this, her eyes searching Yamaguchi desperately for help.

"That's good, isn't it?" Yamaguchi asked. He was horribly confused. If he had been separated from Tsukki only to be reunited he'd be estatick.

"I think I still like him," Kanoka admitted, her eyes guilty.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod of understanding.

"Have you ever fallen in love with someone who you considered a best friend?" Kanoka quietly asked. She looked to Yamaguchi once more, her eyes desperate for a kindred spirit.

Yamaguchi felt his chest tighten before looking to where Tsukki stood. A moment of guilt washed over him. He knew very well how that felt. "It's hard…" He admitted in a whisper.

"I knew you would understand…" Kanoka said with a small smile. "I'm scared to see him again," She then added, her smile now a frown.

"You don't need to be," Yamaguchi consoled. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again."

"I don't know what to say to him," Kanoka stressed before pausing for a short moment. "I sort of want to tell him but I'm also so scared."

Yamaguchi gave another small nod. Kanoka didn't know it but she was miles ahead of himself when it came to admitting her feelings. Yamaguchi had only recently begun to understand his feeling for his best friend and it too scared him.

"You can take the reunion slowly and then decide if you are ready," Yamaguchi replied.

"I don't know if I'll be able to handle the pressure once I see him," Kanoka said with a sarcastic laugh. "I'll probably just embarrass myself."

"With me there you won't have to worry about being the embarrassing one," Yamaguchi joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"What's that meant to mean!?" Kanoka replied with a laugh of her own.

"I'm the clumsy one of this group and you know it!" Yamaguchi pointed out as if it were a rule.

"You're performance yesterday says otherwise," Kanoka retorted with a genuine giggle.

"That was just luck," Yamaguchi insisted. "Besides, I'd practiced for weeks to not mess it up."

"Man look at us, fighting over who is more of a klutz," Kanoka sighed, but still held her smile. "How are we ever going to manage around our crushes?!" She groaned dramatically.

"Try not to die of a heart attack," Yamaguchi shrugged. "That's my current tactic."

"Oh, my Arceus. You're just as bad as me," Kanoka laughed as she gave Yamaguchi's shoulder a push. "Thanks for talking with me."

"Not a problem," Yamaguchi hummed. He now oddly felt a little less strange about his thing for Tsukki. He still wasn't going to act on his feelings but it felt nice to know he wasn't the only one head over heels for their best friend.

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukishima and admired his best friend. It was hard crushing on someone you've known for so long. He felt like he was betraying his best friend in a way, but at the same time wouldn't exchange these feeling for anything.

Yamaguchi had excused himself early from the training clearing, needing to get back to camp to prepare dinner for both themselves and their Pokemon. He quietly prepared a stew for the night, having Popplio and Swirlix help him cut ingredients as he added them to a sizzling pot.

As he worked his mind often wandered back to his conversation with Kanoka and how he still needed to thank Tsukki for helping him with the suit. He felt a mix of happy fluttery warmth that was closely followed by fear. He wanted so badly to just say something to Tsukki but his feelings were far too new. He didn't want to mess it up and he definitely wasn't ready to act on his feelings.

It was too soon. Yamaguchi was the type to take it slow. He was also afraid of pushing Tsukki away. Tsukki wasn't even interested in a relationship, let alone having his best friend come out to him. Tsukki's first reaction would surely be to push him away. At least that's what Yamaguchi thought. But would Tsukki really do that? Tsukki was snarky but he wasn't shallow. Regardless, Yamaguchi was not ready to wager any bets.

It was when the stew was set to boil that Tsukki returned to the camp, tired and a bit sweaty.

"Hey, welcome back," Yamaguchi greeted, handing Tsukki a clean hand towel to wipe off the sweat.

"Thanks," Tsukishima said, taking the towel. "Will dinner be ready soon?"

"In about an hour," Yamaguchi replied. "Is Kanoka still training?"

"Yeah, she said she still wanted to practice a few things," Tsukishima flatly replied, taking a seat by the campfire. He pulled out his tablet for a bit of reading as he did so.

"Oh, good," Yamaguchi hummed, sitting down next to his best friend. Eevee curled up snugly in his lap the moment his butt hit the ground. "You worked hard today. I know you're going to win your next badge no problem," he cheered sending his friend a bright toothy smile.

Tsukishima gave an exaggerated eye roll but seemed to enjoy the compliment nonetheless.

"Tsukki is the best," Yamaguchi added, giving his best friend a light nudge in the shoulder with his own.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima sighed, though his tone didn't seem to hold any malice.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi giggled.

A moment of content silence hung between the two. Yamaguchi felt a wave of bravery.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi quietly spoke, leaning ever so gently upon his friend shoulder.

"For what?" Tsukishima flatly asked, not pulling away.

"For contacting Shimada to send me the suit," Yamaguchi clarified in a very soft voice. He didn't dare look at his best friend.

A soft but flustered 'tch' left Tsukki's lips as his cheeks went a brilliant shade of pink.

Yamaguchi still leaned upon his best friend, enjoying the intimate moment. To his surprise, Tsukki didn't pull away even a bit. He didn't dare look Tsukki's way, for he knew in that moment his eyes would betray him. He felt guilty for his feelings, but being that close to Tsukki just felt like the right thing.

Hey all! Oh my! Yamaguchi finally becoming aware of his feelings and admitting them to himself. What a shock! And we all knew Tsukki had something to do with the suit. Tsukki is such shy boy despite his spikes. How long will it take our pathetic love birds to admit their feelings? Will Tsukki really win his next Gym Battle!? Will Kanoka confess to her love once at the next gym? Stay tuned to find out.

Now that I am in the midst of moving I will probably be posting one chapter every other week. I will do my best to get a chapter up every other week but my life is pretty sporadic and busy atm. I promise that despite all this I am still working at writing new chapters. I hope that once I move and settle for good I can get chapters up once a week again.

I'd like to thank everyone for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, reviews and comments. It always pushes me to write more even when I may not be posting. Just because I am a bit busy doesn't mean I don't see you guy's feedback and I love the feedback so keep it coming.

Well, time for me to get back to packing! See you all next chapter!


	30. Pancakes

Hey all! I am so sorry it has taken so long for chapter 30 to come out. I have been in the middle of moving overseas and then immediately caught a cold. Until I have 100% settled I probably won't be able to upload quite as regularly as before. I am hoping that by June I will be able to get back on to a regular upload schedule. Here's to hoping that happens. I hope you are all ready for chapter 30!

My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Without further ado, chapter 30!

Pancakes

Yamaguchi had found himself a new objective. The idea had come to him on their second day on the road. He'd been following behind Tsukki when he saw it. Two red eyes watching them from a tall tree. They were the same red eyes that belonged to the Riolu that had broken into their hotel room back in Camphrier Town.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile when he saw the eyes disappear into the trees. He knew Riolu was bound to show up again, and when he did Yamaguchi was going to catch it. The little guy seemed to like his food well enough, and would be a wonderful and strong asset to his team. All he needed to do was lure Riolu to a place where it couldn't take off.

"Hey, how much longer until we stop for the day?" Yamaguchi asked, studying the back of his best friend's head.

"Just say so if you want to stop," Tsukishima replied shortly.

"I say so, then," Yamaguchi cheekily said.

Kanoka gave a small giggle from behind Yamaguchi, while Tsukishima gave a small 'tch' but didn't retort back.

"How about we go for another hour," Yamaguchi suggested in a more serious manner.

"Sounds good to me," Kanoka agreed. "I could go for some lunch soon anyways."

Tsukishima shrugged, "Yeah, I suppose an hour is fine."

The three walked on for a while longer before coming upon a nice open campsite. As always, Yamaguchi busied himself with making lunch while Tsukki and Kanoka set up camp. In record time for Tsukki and Yamaguchi, the camp was made and lunch was ready.

"So, what do you two have planned for this afternoon?" Yamaguchi asked as he passed the two their respective lunches.

"I guess I'll train some more," Tsukishima shrugged, taking his lunch from Yamaguchi.

"I'll be doing the same," Kanoka replied cheerfully. "I don't want to make a fool of myself at the next gym," she added, her cheeks aflame.

"Well, while you two are training I'm going to be doing a project of my own," Yamaguchi admitted with a glint in his eyes.

"Oh?" Kanoka hummed in much interest. "Is it something for your next showcase?"

Even Tsukki looked up from his plate to send Yamaguchi a silent but curious glance.

"Sort of," Yamaguchi said with a cheeky smile. "Y'know that Riolu from before, it's still following us, and I'm going to catch it. But, that means no coming back to camp until I say so."

"What!? I had no clue it was still following us," Kanoka asked, looking around the clearing.

"I I'm not too surprised. It's been tailing us for a while now," Tsukishima shrugged as he tried to hide any interest in the subject.

"Why do you need the campsite to catch it though?" Kanoka asked.

"Well, I plan to make something it won't be able to resist, and then when it comes to take a bite, I'll get it!" Yamaguchi explained. "The Riolu might get suspicious if I just leave food out in a random clearing but if I leave it out here it won't see it coming!"

"Do you think it will really work?" Kanoka hummed in thought.

"Well, the Riolu seems to be following its stomach more than anything, so I hope it does," Yamaguchi nodded, looking to the two in excitement. This was the first time in a while where he'd felt so pumped and ready to catch a Pokemon.

"In that case, the camp is all yours this afternoon," Kanoka cheered. "Good luck catching it!"

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki for his approval as well. Tsukki gave a silent nod of agreement before going back to his meal.

"Thanks, you two!" Yamaguchi gushed. "I promise by evening there will be a new member on my team!"

Before long Tsukishima and Kanoka bid their farewell to Yamaguchi. Both exited into the forest and once their voices disappeared into the trees, Yamaguchi got started with this plan. Yamaguchi reckoned the Riolu might have had a sweet tooth with the way it devoured his Pokepuffs. He didn't have much in the way of cooking or baking utensils, so he went with the best thing he could think of, pancakes.

It only took Yamaguchi a few minutes to whip together a tall stack of fluffy warm pancakes. He made a quick chocolate sauce with a few of the ingredients he had and poured it on top of the stack. The smell of the sweet treat wafted past his nose and into the trees. To finish off his masterpiece, he chopped up a few pecha berries and garnished the top.

Once he was done he took a step back to admire his work. He gave a nod and approving hum, satisfied with the creation. He then placed the tall stack of Pancakes on a small fold-up table in the center of the campsite. It might've looked a bit like a trap, but Yamaguchi hoped Riolu's stomach would distract it from noticing.

With his bait now in place, he gently picked Eevee up and summoned Popplio out of her Pokeball. Popplio looked thrilled to see such a large stack of pancakes ready for the eating but didn't make towards them.

"These ones aren't for you," Yamaguchi clarified, which Popplio looked quite disappointed to hear.

"I have a very important mission for us today!" Yamauchi carried on, excited to get his plan into action. "and, if we succeed we are going to be adding a new member to our team."

This seemed to interest Popplio, as the small seal gave an excited bark. Eevee also seemed excited but didn't seem to understand why the same way Popplio did.

Yamaguchi wasted no time in explaining his plan to Popplio and Eevee. As he did so, he made sure to do it in a very hushed voice so that no prying ears could hear the plan. Once all the details were laid out. The three, but mostly Yamaguchi and Popplio, put the plan into action.

"Oh my, Popplio, I just made all these delicious pancakes but now we have nothing to drink along with them," Yamaguchi spoke in an unnaturally loud voice. "I used up all our cream and every last drop of water to make these."

Popplio gave an exaggerated swoon while Eevee trilled along in Yamaguchi's arms, not fully sure what was going on but happy to be a part of it.

"I guess we need to get some water, but the stream is so far away," Yamaguchi carried on in a dramatic 'woe is me' tone. "I hope nothing happens to the pancakes while we are gone because we will be gone for such a long time getting water."

Popplio gave another dramatic bark of worry and Eevee once again thrilled happily.

"I guess we better get going before the pancakes get too cold because right now they are very warm and fluffy and delicious," Yamaguchi spoke loudly into the tree tops. "This way to the water, Popplio," he yelled, leading Popplio into a random corner of the forest.

Popplio dutifully followed behind her trainer doing her best to act as if she were worried about the trek to the river. Once in the forest, Yamaguchi and Popplio walked quite aways, doing their best to make it as believable as possible that they had left. With Popplio leading the way as she had a better sense of direction than her trainer, the two made a large u-turn leading them back to the other side of the camp from where they exited. Once back at the camp, they found a large leafy bush, and hunkered down for the ambush.

If Yamaguchi's instincts were correct, Riolu's stomach would outweigh its ability to notice their return. He knew Riolu wouldn't come out right away, but he was confident that the small fighting dog would eventually show its face. These were some of the best pancakes he had ever made so it was bound to attract it.

The three waited for a long while, so long that Eevee fell asleep in Yamaguchi's arms. Yamaguchi and Popplio, on the other hand, did their best to stay focused. Their backs ached from being hunched over and their legs shook from being crouched down, but both Pokemon and trainer were as focused as ever.

Well over an hour must have passed, but Yamaguchi finally noticed some movement. He didn't need to point it out to Popplio, for she noticed it as well. The two motion to stay quiet before returning their attention to the pancakes.

A bushel of leaves on a high branch wiggled and shook as two red eyes peered from their depth. They were calculating and wary as they scanned the campsite, and they must have scanned the area three times over before zeroing in on the pancakes. Like a blue flash, the Riolu lept from the bush onto the table that held the plate of fluffy pancakes.

Once at the table, the small Riolu's eyes shone with excitement. It slapped it's paws together greedily before digging into the fluffy treat. It gave a long draw out howl of joy as it took its first large bite. Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile at seeing the joyment on the Pokemon's face.

Yamaguchi looked to Popplio, telling her to wait a moment longer. Popplio gave a nod of understanding. They were to wait until the Riolu stuffed itself to the max.

As the Riolu worked its way through the pancakes it began to slow down. Yamaguchi could tell it was becoming very full. Despite this, the fighting type carried on devouring the sweet fluffy tower of goodness. It was when Riolu got down to the last two cakes that Yamaguchi decided to make their move.

"Do it now, Popplio!" Yamaguchi shouted, jumping from the bush, leaving a still sleeping Eevee behind.

Before Riolu could react, Popplio wasted no time in filling the perimeter of camp with several large floating bubbles, some of which floated as high as the tree tops.

Surprised and very much startled, Riolu fell backwards into the remaining pancakes causing the remainder of the desert to splatter off the plate.

With the element of surprise on his side, Yamaguchi jumped into action.

"Water Gun, Popplio!" Yamaguchi instructed.

As if the two were in synch, Popplio shot a powerful stream of water at the still-confused Riolu. The attack was head on and knocked the small fighting type off the table along with the plate of smashed pancake.

Riolu didn't seem to pleased to have it's treat knocked to the floor. As it got back onto its feet it shot Yamaguchi a glare, which he met with a confident smile, happy to see that the Riolu was not about to run.

In a flash, Riolu executed a perfect quick attack on Popplio, causing the seal to stagger back.

With Riolu now close enough Yamaguchi went in for the next attack. "Pound, Popplio!"

Popplio didn't waste the opportunity to give her opponent a strong smack to the head causing Riolu to see double.

"Great Job!" Yamaguchi praised. "Now, pound once more!"

This time Riolu was able to block the move and struck Popplio with a very well placed Force Palm. Popplio gave a loud cry as she was pushed back.

"Popplio, hang in there," Yamaguchi cried in determination.

Though she was winded, Popplio was not ready to give in.

"Aqua Jet!" Yamaguchi commanded upon seeing Popplio's will to carry on.

Weighed down by the mass amounts of pancakes, Riolu was unable to dodge the attack, and Popplio's aqua jet struck it square in the back, causing it to go flying before landing with a hard thud.

Without wasting a moment, Yamaguchi threw an empty Greatball at the frazzled Pokemon.

The ball hit Riolu square on the bum before encapsulating it. The blue ball fell to the floor, where Yamaguchi and Popplio immediately rushed over to it. The small button flashed once, twice, and on the third glow it clicked shut.

With a bubble of excitent, Yamaguchi scooped up the ball. "We did it, Popplio! We caught Riolu!"

Popplio gave an excited bark of joy as she danced around Yamaguchi's legs. They had done it and this time it wasn't a fluke. All the practice and training for the showcase really had helped the two become more in synch. A feeling of invincibility built up in Yamaguchi's chest. He couldn't wait to show Tsukki his catch when he returned.

After retrieving Eevee from the bush and summoning Swirlix from her ball, Yamaguchi wasted no time in releasing the sneaky Riolu.

Still dizzy from the fight, Riolu sprang forward from his ball. It looked around at Yamaguchi and the other tree Pokemon, still quite confused.

"Hey there, Riolu," Yamaguchi gently greeted. "Have this, it will help you feel better," he said passing an Oran berry to his new catch.

Riolu was not shy about taking the food from Yamaguchi. It devoured the berry before giving a very happy cry. Yamaguchi was pleased to see Riolu wasn't having trouble settling in. Part of him wondered if Riolu had wanted to be caught all along.

"Welcome to the team, Riolu," Yamaguchi hummed, giving Riolu's head a soft pat.

Riolu gave a small cry of joy before springing into Yamaguchi's arms, unintentionally knocking Eevee to the floor. Yamaguchi hugged Riolu back as he gave his pouting Eevee and very sorry look. "I'm glad your not shy about joining the team," Yamaguchi laughed, gently stroking Riolu's back.

Both Popplio and Swirlix purred in agreement but Eevee seemed a bit put off by someone else being in her spot.

Yamaguchi allowed the four Pokemon to become acquainted while he cleaned up the mess from the battle and started on a new batch of pancakes to celebrate. All the while, Eevee followed closest to him, shooting very possessive looks anytime Riolu looked their way. If Riolu noticed, she didn't seem to care.

Tsukishima was the first to return to the campo, just in time for the last batch of pancakes to come off the griddle.

"I see you caught the stalker," Tsukishima commented, taking a plate of pancakes with pecha berries. "Good work."

"Yup, and she wasn't too hard to catch!" Yamaguchi smiled brightly.

"Is that so?" Tsukishima hummed.

"Yup," Yamaguchi chirpred. "I knew she wouldn't be able to resist a sweet treat," he laughed lightheartedly. "Kind of like someone else I know," he added, glancing Tsukki's way.

Tsukishima's cheeks were pink as he swallowed a bite of pancake. "Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi laughed, taking a seat next to him. As he did so, Eevee lept feverishly into his lap, glaring at anyone who so much as glanced at her throne.

"Spoiled," Tsukishima mumbled, eyeing the possessive Eevee.

"She's just getting used to her new teammate," Yamaguchi defended.

"I told you all that coddling would result in bratty behavior," Tsukishima shot back sassily.

"She isn't spoiled!" Yamaguchi pouted, but Tsukki only gave a knowing smile.

Perhaps it was about time to get Eevee on to a more independant road. Now that Yamaguchi thought about it, he'd noticed one tooth coming through just that morning. He looked to Eevee, only to have her look to him with nothing but love and adoration, and he decided he could worry about that another time. For now, he was just going to focus on his victories.

Hurray for our Yama! He has caught himself another Pokemon! Who saw it coming! Riolu is the perfect addition to his little team. I wonder what sort of shenanigans she will bring along with her! I hope Eevee learns to chill. This and so much more will be answered if you stay tuned!

I would like to apologize again for the late update. My life has been all over the place the past few month and probably won't settle done until June. I do plan to post a few chapters between now and June but I can't promise and weekly update. Send me good vibes that my move carries on smoothly because the smoother it is the more likely I will be able to get back on track with a weekly upload schedule :P

I want to thank all of you who have hung around despite my absence I promise that I am indeed still here just not as here as I was before. I really do see all the comments and kudos and bookmarks and stuff you all leave on this fic and honestly it really helps brighten my day. Even when my life gets busy and out of control I still love to see feedback from you, my lovely readers, so if you have time to drop a comment or review please do so.

This is all I got for now. I will see you all again next chapter. Once again sorry for the delays.


	31. Baby Steps

Heeey! I am back and I have finally made my move. I have mostly settled into my new place so hopefully that means we can settle in to a normal update schedule again. I really appreciate everyone patience with me these past few months. I feel horrible for being away as I was. I hope you are all ready for chapter 31!

I feel like from now on I am going to share at the beginning of each chapter a bit of music that I feel sets the mood for each chapter. Of course all of these songs will be soundtracks/remixes of pokemon themes such as city or rout themes. I feel like a good theme to go along with this chapter would be route 209's theme. This is one of my top favorite themes from the pokemon games so I may recommend it as a listen for other chapters as well. Here is a link to a great cover of the theme ( watch?v=YXXFzrbu8tc&list=PL9793A30C55CED7F6&index=29). Give it a listen while you read along! I feel like it fits the overall theme of this chapter. Share with me your favorite themes in the comments down below!

I would like to thank ninalover359 for taking time to beta read this chapter on such short notice. I really appreciate their help so let's all give them a big warm thank you! If it were not for them this chapter would still be unbeta read.

Chapter 31, I choose you!

Baby Steps

Riolu settled in quite quickly. In fact if one were to guess just by looking at the fighting type, they'd assume her to be one of Yamaguchi's veteran Pokemon. She was small and fiesty, always ready to tussle, but also quite affectionate and going out of her way to help anyone who might need it. As far as Yamaguchi was concerned, catching Riolu was the right decision. Eevee, on the other hand, didn't share the sentiment.

Riolu liked laps almost as much as Eevee did. When Riolu wasn't punching the air she liked to snuggled with Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi found that quite endearing, especially since Riolu was still quite new to his team. Had the poor guy been this lonely for so long. Yamaguchi didn't have the heart to push Riolu away when she came looking for a lap. With a large smile, Riolu would curl up next to Eevee and enjoy the warmth of her new trainer.

Eevee, unlike Riolu, did not like to share Yamaguchi's lap with others. The small shiny Pokemon was often quite shy but also, apparently, equally possessive. The first time Riolu joined her in Yamaguchi's lap she had put up such a fuss that Yamaguchi had to cradle her in his arms. Tsukki all the while made cracks about how spoiled she was. Yamaguchi defended her but deep down wondered if perhaps he had coddled her a bit too much for a bit too long.

It was late afternoon and Yamaguchi had taken to watching Tsukki train his team. They had camped near a small meadow which Tsukki and Kanoka had claimed as their training ground. The two would often have their pokemon focus on certain move or techniques before having short practice battles with one another. With the camp all set up, and dinner a few hours off, he found that watching the two was about the most interesting thing for him to do. With Eevee in his lap and a stack of books at his side, Yamaguchi sat back against a tree and enjoyed the lazy spring afternoon.

The current book he found himself reading was one on hatchling Eevees and their weaning process. Eevee's first few teeth had finally started to grow through and Yamaguchi knew she would soon be old enough to eat solid foods. It broke his heart to think handfeeding Eevee was about to come to an end but he was also so proud of how much she had grown. She was now twice the size from when she had hatched.

Another thing that worried him was keeping her in a pokeball. She had only ever been in one once, when he caught her to make sure she was indeed his. It had only been for a moment and she hadn't really liked it. She was newly hatched back than and is much older now so maybe she would handle it better.

Yamaguchi flipped to the page on training hatchling Pokemon. When he read over the section on Pokeballs it said a baby Pokemon would do fine in a ball for a few hours per day. It was best to start them out early. Yamaguchi hoped he hadn't waited too long to start Eevee on the ball. She was quite clingy and often demanded being held.

He looked down upon Eevee to find her curled in a fuzzy ball. Smiling, he ran his fingers through her mane only for her to give a small content purr. If Eevee showed any hint of distress would he be able to actually go through with the ball. He at least had to get her used to it. Maybe he will focus on getting her off of the bottle first.

Since the increase in Pokemon on the team, feeding time had become a lot more hectic than normal. Yamaguchi had to more often than not dance around juggling Eevee in one hand, trying to keep Swirlix away with another while also making sure Frogadier didn't steal any food while his back was turned. Fortunately for Yamaguchi Frogadier was up a tree hiding from a far too friendly and eager Popplio. Salazzle was always there to back Yamaguchi up, protecting the meals until everything was ready to be served. Riolu, who came to love Yamaguchi's homemade chow almost immediately, would also try to help by dancing around Yamaguchi's feet begging for a sample and when Riolu wasn't begging for a treat, she was running around wrestling with Bagon and Kanoka's Pancham. While all this went on Snivy often just watch from the sideline, wanting nothing to do with the rowdy crowd.

When Kanoka and Tsukki were available they would also lend a hand. Tsukki would care for Eevee while Kanoka fended off any sneakers who tried to nab a taste of food before dinner was served.

Today was one of those days where Tsukki and Kanoka had opted to spend time training up until feeding time. Tsukki was focusing his time on Frogadier while Kanoka was doing her best to power up one of Gastrodon's water moves. This meant Yamaguchi was alone to prepare dinner for their Pokemon.

Salazzle had taken to baby sit Eevee while Yamaguchi worked. In most cases, Eevee loved cuddle time with Salazzle but today she wouldn't have any of it. While Popplio and Yamaguchi worked in tandem to prepare everyone's bowls, Eevee would escape Salazzle's care only to cry at Yamaguchi's heel to be held. Yamaguchi was Eevee's favorite person but she normally wasn't this needy. It was on the third time Yamaguchi had to place Eevee back with Salazzle that he realized something. Eevee's large adorable eyes were glaring daggers at Riolu.

The small blue fighting type had taken to following Yamaguchi around, begging for a scrap of food while Yamaguchi worked. To calm Riolu down, every now and then Yamaguchi would answer with a "not yet," and pat her head softly. Riolu would in turn give a happy bark and beg more around his heels. Yamaguchi was not the best at scolding his Pokemon.

At one point, when Yamaguchi was almost done topping off the bowls with some berries, Eevee had rushed over and tackled Riolu away from Yamaguchi. Eevee had never shown so much aggression towards another and he was pretty sure this was the first time she had ever used an attack on another Pokemon. Yamaguchi had an odd moment of being both shocked and proud. Riolu all the while didn't seem to mind the attack. She immediately tried to engage in a play wrestle with Eevee only for Eevee to scream bloody murder.

"Eevee!" Yamaguchi mildly scolded as he scooped her up out of Riolu's path. Eevee looked to him in needy frustration. "What has gotten into you. You can't go attacking your teammates like that!"

Eevee replied with a large pout, snuggling close to Yamaguchi but refusing to look him in the eye. Riolu stood at his heel unsure why Eevee had reacted so negatively.

"Don't worry, Riolu," Yamaguchi sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong." When he patted Riolu upon the head he heard Eevee give a very small squeaky growl. He had to remedy this somehow.

Tucking his shirt into his shorts, Yamaguchi slipped Eevee down his shirt before going back to preparing dinner. Eevee claimed her rightful stop down his shirt with a very pouty sigh. With Eevee now calmed down, it wasn't long before all the meals were ready to be served. By the time Tsukishima and Kanoka returned, Yamaguchi was exhausted.

"For someone who relaxed all day you look wiped" Tsukishima commented with a hint of sass.

"You don't know the half of it," Yamaguchi sighed as he slumped down next to Tsukki and began to feed Eevee. "Eevee has been a bit of a handful today."

"Yeah, I noticed she doesn't want to share you," Tsukishima joked as he looked from Eevee to Yamaguchi. "She was glaring daggers at Riolu all morning while you prepared breakfast."

"I don't know what to do, Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed in agony. He didn't know if he had the heart to be stern with Eevee.

"You're just going to have to give Eevee a little push," Tsukishima insisted cooly. "Soon she won't be a baby anymore."

Yamaguchi sighed as he looked down at Eevee. As she suckled at the bottle he could see a few of her newly grown teeth. He definitely had to do something before this grew too out of hand.

"You're too soft," Tsukishima mumbled from next to him.

"Am not," Yamaguchi replied, shooting him a stern side eye.

Tsukishima was trying his hardest to fight back a smile for he knew he was right.

"I'm not soft," Yamaguchi grumbled once more, returning his attention to Eevee. Her bottle was almost completely finished.

The next morning was just as hard on Yamaguchi. Eevee refused to be with anyone else but him. She staked her claim down his shirt and would not come out as he tried to work on their breakfast. She wouldn't even go to Tsukki to be held. All the while if Riolu came too close she would grumble. Unfortunately for Eevee, Riolu didn't seem to take much notice of her distress and followed after Yamaguchi's every move.

It was after feeding that Yamaguchi put his plan into action. He only fed Eevee about half a bottle of milk that morning. Eevee seemed to pick up on it right away for when she got to the end of the battle she looked to Yamaguchi in pure confusion wondering where the rest of her breakfast was.

"Nope, I didn't forget," Yamaguchi laughed as he enjoyed the confusion on Eevee's face. He then reached for a bowl next to him. It held a few pieces of his homemade pokechow, a few slice off an oran berry and a bit of formula. He had mashed it up prior to feeding Eevee to be sure it was ready for her.

With a small spoon, Yamaguchi scooped up a small amount of the food mixture. He was unsure if Eevee would even go for the solid food but there wasn't a Pokemon out there who didn't fall in love with his family recipe. He placed Eevee in his lap and held the spoon to her nose. Eevee gave a weary sniff to the spoon, looking from it to Yamaguchi in uncertainty.

"I promise that it is yummy," Yamaguchi cooed as he held the spoon stedy in front of Eevee. He gave her his best reassuring smile.

It must have worked for Eevee gave the spoon a small sniff once more before giving it a small lick. Almost instantaneously Eevee's doe eyes lit up. She gave a small trill before devouring the small pile of food on the spoon. Seeing the spoon empty, she looked to Yamaguchi for more.

"See, I told you it was good," Yamaguchi chuckled, giving his beloved Eevee a smile as bright as the stars.

Eevee gave a loud whine for more food in reply. Her small paws gently dug at Yamaguchi's stomach to emphasize she wanted more.

"Allright, no need to complain," Yamaguchi laughed before offering her an even larger spoon full. Eevee ate it up really fast. Relief flooded Yamaguchi. He had worried Eevee would not take to solid food so fast but he should have known she'd be a fan of his homemade chow.

"I see Eevee's weaning is going smoothly," Tsukishima commented as he looked down upon his friend and the shiny pokemon.

"Thank goodness," Yamaguchi sighed, smiling up at his best friend. "I was afraid she would turn her nose up at it."

"There isn't a Pokemon in the whole of Kalos who'd reject your homemade food," Tsukishima said with a shake of his head. This won him another bright smile from Yamaguchi flustering him a bit. "But you know, spoon feeding her isn't going to help wean her off your lap," Tsukishima added with a clearing of his throat. "Still just as spoiled."

"Hey, Eevee is still just a baby," Yamaguchi defended, his cheeks puffing as he did so. "She is a soft soul and needs baby steps," he added with a pout.

"Right," Tsukishima hummed with snark. "Or are you the one who needs the baby steps. She isn't going to be a baby forever."

"I just don't want to shock her system is all," Yamaguchi defended, though he knew he wasn't ready himself to give up feeding time with Eevee quite yet. He looked down at his beloved Eevee as he fed her another spoon full of food. His heart melted as she gave a small trill of joy before taking a bite.

As much as Yamaguchi loved Eevee he could not ignore that she was indeed growing up. He couldn't coddle her forever and he knew it was important for her to at least learn how to get along well with the others. He had a feeling her getting along with Swirlix and Popplio wouldn't be a problem but Riolu was another story. For some reason Eevee just despised the new teammate. Yamaguchi just couldn't figure out where this all came from.

He had to do something to remedy Eevee's attitude before it was too late. It was best he not let the issue go any further than it was already at. Eventually Eevee and Riolu may need to work together in a showcase and they couldn't achieve that if Eevee keeps reacting to Riolu the way she was.

That afternoon, while Tsukki and Kanoka were training, Yamaguchi called out all four of his current Pokemon who would listen to him. Perhaps mandated team building exercises would do the trick. Swirlix and Popplio could act as buffers and encourage Eevee to at least give Riolu a chance. Placing Eevee on the ground next to the other three Pokemon, Yamaguchi crouched down to get on eye level with them all.

"Today you all are going to help me prepare some dessert for tonight," Yamaguchi smiled brightly as he looked upon his beloved Pokemon. "We are going to make a berry cobbler and to start off we need to collect some fresh berries," he explained. Swirlix, Popplio and Riolu barked in excitement while Eevee looked to Yamaguchi in confusion.

"We will work in teams to collect berries, okay," Yamaguchi gently carried on in his explanation. "Once Swirlix finds us a tree with berries you guys will split into to twos. Swirlix and Riolu, I want you two to work together and Popplio and Eevee you two will work as the second team."

The three older Pokemon barked in understanding while Eevee looked to Yamaguchi, her eyes large and watery. She had that 'please pick me up look' in her eyes but Yamaguchi chose to ignore it. He told himself over again that this was going to be good for her.

"Now, Swirlix, please lead the way," Yamaguchi instructed, motioning for Swirlix to guide them into the woods.

Swirlix barked with understanding once more before giving the air a big whiff. It only took a moment before Swirlix turned into a direction and followed a scent.

"Let's go then!" Yamaguchi sang, standing up without scooping up Eevee into his arms.

Eevee gave a small cry of protest as she jumped at Yamaguchi's ankle to be let up.

"We can't lollygag, Eevee, or we'll get left behind," Yamaguchi gently instructed, not falling for her pleas.

Eevee gave another desperate cry that almost broke Yamaguchi heart but he stood strong. Fortunately for him Popplio stepped in. The seal gave a small bark before guiding Eevee away from Yamaguchi's ankle. Honestly, Yamaguchi didn't know what he would do without Popplio.

Swirlix lead the party into the woods, making sure not to lose anyone. Yamaguchi took the caboose so that he could keep an eye on all his Pokemon. He felt all sorts of guilt as Eevee began to give him the cold shoulder. He could tell she was upset that he hadn't carried her but Eevee needed to learn how to stand on her own. Yamaguchi knew that better than anyone.

It wasn't long before the group happened upon a small grove of Pecha berries. 'Tsukki's favorite,' Yamaguchi couldn't help but think and they looked just right for baking.

"Let's all gather as many as we can so we can make the biggest cobbler ever," Yamaguchi cheered hoping an upbeat attitude would help Eevee get into the mood.

Eevee was the only one not to reply with a cheer. She sent Yamaguchi a very unsatisfied pout. Despite the fact that they hadn't walked far she looked exhausted. Maybe he really had been carrying her far too much.

"L-Let's get started, shall we," Yamaguchi cheered once more, thought this time it was more forced. He did his best to ignore Eevee's pout.

Swirlix and Riolu got to picking berries without too much of a push. Yamaguchi wasn't surprised to find Eevee still pouting, refusing to move from where she sat.

"Eevee, why don't you help us out," Yamaguchi prompted, giving her back a soft stroke.

Eevee didn't reply, her pout still strong as ever, though she did lean into his hand as he stroked her.

Popplio come up on the other side of Eevee and gave a small bark of encouragement.

"See, Popplio wants you to join as well," Yamaguchi insisted once more. "Come join us. I can help you pick your first few berries if you'd like."

Eevee looked to him, her eyes still upset but now held a hint of interest. She looked to Popplio next who gave her an award winning smile. Though hesitant, Eevee stood up showing she was ready to give it a try.

"Good girl," Yamaguchi gently praised as he gave her mane a soft stoke. Eevee gave a small involuntary purr that only caused her to pout once more. The action reminded him a lot of Tsukki.

Eevee warmed up a bit as she joined Yamaguchi and Popplio at a small pecha berry tree. Crouched down, Yamaguchi held a basket while the Pokemon took turns placing berries in it. At first Eevee was unsure about the task. She would sniff at a berry and look to Yamaguchi several times, seeking his approval of the berries she picked.

"Any of them are good, Eevee," Yamaguchi would humm, doing his best to encourage her to be a bit more independent in the task. "Choose whichever you would like."

Popplio also mentored Eevee in the art of berry picking. She would show Eevee what a ripe berry would look like and then pass it off into the basket Yamagishi held. Before long Eevee was picking ripe berries herself and placing them in the basket. With each berry she placed Yamaguchi would praise her. Eevee seemed to like this very much.

One thing Eevee didn't seem to like was any time Yamaguchi praised Riolu. She was fine with him praising Swirlix and Popplio but when it came to Riolu receiving Yamaguchi's affection, Eevee would get jealous. At one point Eevee even stole a berry right out of Riolu's hand, placing it in the basket herself. Riolu didn't seem to mind but the act worried Yamaguchi.

"Eevee, don't take the berries that the others have picked," Yamaguchi scolded, doing his best to not be too harsh on the young Eevee. "It's unkind."

Eevee's cheeks went pink with frustration as she kicked a bit of dust towards Riolu before stomping to the other side of the bush. Riolu merely looked on at Eevee in confusion. She looked to Yamaguchi for an explanation. The small fighting type seemed sad about Eevee's cold shoulder.

"Don't worry, Riolu," Yamaguchi reassures, giving Riolu's head a soft pat. "You're doing just fine. Eevee will come around eventually."

It wasn't long before their basket was filled to the brim with Pecha berries. Once again Yamaguchi did not carry Eevee in his arms as they headed back to the camp. Eevee gave a frustrated squeak at the rejection but followed after the other three Pokemon. Seeing Eevee so upset was not easy but Yamagishi hoped she would come around as they baked.

Once back at camp Yamaguchi split the four Pokemon into teams of two once more.

"Riolu and Popplio I am going to leave the chopping of the berries to you two. Eevee and Swirlix you can help mix the ingredients," Yamaguchi instructed, pointing out the work stations for each team. "I am going to prepare the fire for cooking so call me over if any of you need anything."

Eevee looked longingly after Yamaguchi as he walked away but made no motion to go after him. Yamaguchi did his best not to look her in the eye lest he loses his resolve. Without a single whine, Eevee followed Swirlix to where the mixing bowl was.

The small cotton candy pokemon, while quite dopy, was Yamaguchi's best team mate when it came to baking. She took no time in helping Eevee get comfortable with their task at hand. As Yamaguchi prepared the fire he was happy to see Eevee getting into her. Perhaps things were going to turn around for the better.

Once done with the fire Yamagishi carried a small Dutch Oven Pot to the table. He placed it beside Riolu and Popplio who had only just finished chopping up the berries. "Good work, you two. I'm very impressed," he praised as he looked over the pile of fruit. Some were cut larger than others but they would do just fine.

Popplio and Riolu barked in joy at the praise. This seemed to catch Eevee's ear. From the corner of his eye Yamaguchi could see Eevee shoot Riolu a pout. She soon returned her attention to Swirlix causing Yamaguchi to sigh in relief.

"Place the berries in the pot and we can go over to the fire to cook them down a bit," Yamaguchi told Popplio and Riolu.

Riolu and Popplio did as they were told and once all the diced berries were in the pot the three made their way to the fire. Yamaguchi carefully placed the pot on a small metal frame over the fire, making sure Popplio and Riolu were at a safe enough distance.

"I'll take it from here, you two. Good work," Yamaguchi cheered, petting each on their head respectively.

Popplio blew a few large happy bubbles while Riolu purred in joy. Once more Eevee looked on at Riolu in jealousy. Yamaguchi chose to ignore it. Best not feed into the behavior.

Once the berries were at a good simmer, Yamagishi checked back up on Eevee and Swirlix. They had accomplished mixing a very fine batter to pour over the cooking berries. He gave the batter a small taste test, giving a humm of approval.

"Good work you two," Yamagishi hummed, petting each on the head. "You showed some great teamwork."

Eevee trilled in joy at the praise. She rubbed her head into Yamaguchi's hand as if to ask for more pets.

"Why don't you two help me pour the batter over the berries so we can get this cobbler made?" Yamaguchi said, pulling his hands away from both Eevee and Swirlix. "It's not quite yet done."

Swirlix barked in agreement as Eevee gave a pout but went along anyway.

The three made their way back to the fire where Popplio and Riolu waited, watching over the simmering berries. The two greeted Swirlix and Eevee with happy cries. Eevee acknowledged Popplio but snubbed Riolu. Yamaguchi hoped the teamwork of making the cobbler would make Eevee come around in the end.

Yamaguchi poured the mixture Eevee and Swirlix had made over the berries and placed the lid on top of it. "Now we gently set it into the fire and let it cook," he explained before carefully dropping the pot into the fire. As he did so he heard a loud scream come from Eevee and before he could react something pushed him from behind. It was a feat that Yamaguchi had been able to dodge falling face first into the fire and an even greater feat that he didn't spill any of the cobbler but in doing so he had used his arm to prevent the hot pot from spilling.

"Ouch!" Yamaguchi yelled as the pot seared the underside of his right forearm. Popplio and Swirlix gasped as they did their best to support their trainer. Yamaguchi quickly placed the pot on the floor as he grasped where the hot metal had touched his skin. In the same motion he turned to see what the upset was that causing him to fumble the pot. He had a good idea of what had caused it. "What is going on!" He scolded much harsher than he met.

What he found shocked him. Eevee had Riolu pinned to the floor. She must have bumped into Yamaguchi in her attempt to tackle Riolu. Riolu, who was still currently pinned down by Eevee, didn't look upset or afraid but only seemed shocked.

"Eevee, what are you doing? Get off of her!" Yamaguchi scolded, doing his best to keep calm. The burning sensation on his forearm made it quite difficult.

Eevee turned and gave a frustrated squeaky growl at Yamaguchi. This shocked both Yamaguchi and the rest of the team. None had ever expected Eevee to lash out as such to her beloved trainer. It only took a moment for Eevee to realize her mistake. She immediately back off Riolu, as her eyes landed on Yamaguchi's arm. The next moment she deflated looking from Yamaguchi's arm to his face.

Unable to stop himself, Yamaguchi sent Eevee a very concerned yet disappointed look. This seemed to strike home with Eevee for she back away from Yamaguchi and the others. A small whimper rumbled in her throat as she did so.

"Eevee," Yamaguchi whispered, his disappointment now replaced with worry.

Before anymore could be said, Eevee, looking quite ashamed, turned tail and rain into the woods.

"Eevee!" Yamaguchi called after her, his tone filled to the brim with worry.

The other three also released a variety of worried barks as they watched their sister disappear into the woods.

Yamaguchi felt his heart break. Perhaps he had been too hard on Eevee. Expecting her to grow up all at once was perhaps too much to suddenly thrown on her. Maybe Tsukki was right. Maybe he had been coddling Eevee too much from the start. He should have known he was going to mess this up as well.

Yamaguchi gave his head a small shake. He could worry about where he had gone wrong later. Now he needed to find Eevee before something else finds her first. That small shiny Pokemon was a magnet for trouble.

"Swirlix, Popplio, you two take that end of the camp and I'll go this way," Yamaguchi instructed, pointing to where they would search. "I'll check this area," he said pointing to where Eevee had vanished into the woods. "Riolu, you better stay here and watch over the camp. If any of you find Eevee keep her here at the camp."

All three Pokemon nodded in understanding. Swirlix and Popplio jumped into action, heading right into the woods. Riolu looked quite distraught. Yamaguchi could tell she wanted to go and reconcile with Eevee.

"Don't worry, Riolu. You didn't do anything wrong. Eevee's just having a hard time learning to share is all," Yamaguchi gently insisted as he stroked Riolu's head. "Stay here and watch over the campsite, okay. I'm entrusting it's safety to you."

Riolu looked disappointed but nodded nonetheless.

"It's going to be okay. Don't you worry," Yamaguchi cheered, giving Riolu's head another soft pat.

Riolu gave a small purr, leaning into the Yamaguchi's hand.

"I'll be back with Eevee soon," Yamaguchi hummed, as he stood up and heading into the woods. Riolu barked after him as if to say 'be safe.'

Yamaguchi was not the best at finding his way around. He knew this better than anyone else but at the moment it didn't matter. He needed to find Eevee no matter what. Eevee was small and still untrained in battle. If he didn't hurry she would get hurt.

Yamaguchi dodged branches, tripped over roots, and limboed his way through the brush. All the while he called out for Eevee. He listened every few seconds for any sign of his beloved shiny Pokemon. Only a few minutes passed when Yamaguchi heard a cry that sounded very much like Eevee.

"Eevee!" Yamaguchi gasped as he turned the direction of where he heard the cry.

A small bush to his left gave a sudden shake as if whoever was inside it was startled by his voice. It then went silent.

Yamaguchi strode over the small bush that Eevee was hiding within and crouched down. "Eevee, come on out," Yamaguchi gently cooed, not making to grab for her yet.

A small whimper came from the bush but Eevee did not make a move to come out.

"I'm not mad at you, Eevee," Yamaguchi gently carried on. "No one is mad at you. We are all worried so please come out," He tried again.

Eevee gave a small uncertain whine.

"Do I need to come in there and get you?" Yamaguchi gently asked.

No reply came from Eevee.

With a small sigh, Yamaguchi reached into the bush. It didn't take him long to loop his arm around Eevee. As he pulled Eevee out of the bush she did not resist him. Leaves and twigs stuck in her bushy mane as he extracted her from her hiding spot.

"Oh, Eevee," Yamaguchi sighed with affection as he held her close. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," he hummed doing his best to keep a steady voice.

Eevee gave a small sad trill as she nuzzled his neck needily.

"But you know why you were in trouble, don't you?" Yamaguchi softly asked as he looked down at Eevee.

Eevee gave a small pout that read she understood.

"You can't go attacking your teammates like that," Yamaguchi calmly explained to her. "We are all a team here and we need to work together, that includes you," and as he said you he gave her a boop on the nose.

Eevee gave a small happy trill at the small show of affection.

"Promise me you won't attack anyone anymore," Yamaguchi said in a serious yet babyish voice.

Eevee pouted once more but nodded in understanding.

"Good girl," Yamaguchi praised, giving her another affectionate hug.

Eevee seemed to enjoy the closeness. Her eyes than landed on Yamaguchi's burnt arm. Yamaguchi himself had almost forgotten about it. With the sudden rush of adrenalin, the pain he felt went to the wayside.

The spot where the pot had seared his arm was now forming a small inch sized blister. This wasn't the first time Yamaguchi had burnt himself baking. Eevee looked quite guilty as she studied the forming blister.

"Don't worry. I'll be okay," Yamaguchi insisted calmly ruffling Eevee's head. "It's just a small burn."

Eevee looked unsure as she cuddled closer to Yamaguchi as if to comfort him.

"You're growing up so fast, Eevee," Yamaguchi sighed. "As much as I would love to keep you as my little Eevee forever, soon you too will have to start being more independent."

Eevee looked to Yamaguchi with uncertainty. She seemed to only understand what Yamaguchi meant a bit.

"I promise to go slower with you from now on," He hummed, hugging her close once again.

Eevee trilled in joy.

With that the two headed back to the campsite. By the time they arrived back Popplio and Swirlix had already returned from their search. Along with Riolu, the three pokemon cried in joy upon their return.

Eevee seemed embarrassed and still mildly ashamed of her prior behavior. She hid her face in Yamaguchi's arm as she refused to look anyone in the eye. With a half sigh half laugh, Yamaguchi placed Eevee in front of Riolu.

"Do you have something to say, Eevee?" Yamaguchi gently asked.

Eevee pouted looking to him as if to ask if she really had to. Yamaguchi only nodded.

Riolu looked absolutely happy to see Eevee return. With a small pout on her face, Eevee squeaked a small, what Yamaguchi assumed to be, 'sorry'. Riolu gave a joyful bark before tackling Eevee into a large hug. Eevee gave a surprised yap as she pried herself from the hug and scrambled behind Yamaguchi. She didn't seem at all interested in such physical contact. Yamaguchi couldn't help but imagine Tsukki doing the same thing If someone like Hinata tried to hug him.

Scooping Eevee in to his arms, the mall group laughed. Eevee pouted with embarrassment in Yamaguchi's arms all the while. With a little bit of work every day, Yamaguchi was confident that everything would be okay.

Now that all was said and done, the small group wasted no time in finishing up their cobbler. Yamaguchi placed it in the fire and before long it was ready to be dug into.

Almost as if attracted by the smell of the sweet treat, Tsukki arrived back at the campsite early, just as the cobbler was ready to be served.

"You're done early," Yamaguchi hummed as Tsukishima loomed over his shoulder to see what it was Yamagishi had made. The feel of Tsukki's chest gently brushing against his back made Yamaguchi's heart go all a flutter.

"Dessert for tonight?" Tsukishima replied, his eyes holding a rare shine in them as he examined the sweet treat.

"It's a Pecha Berry cobbler we all made together," Yamaguchi replied as he tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach.

"Smells good," Tsukishima hummed as he back off a bit. Yamaguchi could tell from his tone that he was excited to give it a try.

"You'll have to wait until after dinner," Yamaguchi scolded, almost like a mother.

"Who said I wanted to eat it now?" Tsukishima flatly replied as he did his best to hide his yearning to dig into the sweet treat. He could not fool Yamaguchi.

"Right…" Yamaguchi laughed.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima grumbled in embarrassment.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied in habit.

It was in that moment that Tsukishima noticed Yamaguchi's arm. His eyes zeroed in on the fully formed blister. "Did you hurt yourself again?" Tsukishima sighed as he tried not to sound too concerned.

"Yeah, I guess," Yamaguchi shrugged, doing his best to brush it off. "Just bumped the hot pot is all."

"I can't leave you alone, can I?" Tsukishima sighed. "How come you haven't treated it yet?" He asked, sounding mildly upset with Yamaguchi.

"I haven't had a moment to quite yet," Yamaguchi replied, he knew Tsukki was about to scold him more.

Tsukishima sighed as he gently grabbed for Yamaguchi's uninjured arm. He carefully guided Yamaguchi over to his bag motioning for him to sit down. Yamaguchi did as he was told, sitting down next to the bag. Tsukishima rummaged through his backpack before extracting a small tube of burn cream and a small alcohol wipe packet. Without a word he pulled Yamaguchi's injured arm into his lap and gave it a thorough examination.

"It's doesn't look too bad," Tsukishima flatly spoke and he rubbed the area down with an alcohol wipe.

"I told you it wasn't a big deal," Yamaguchi mumbled in embarrassment. Tsukishima's gentle fingers left Yamaguchi's skin all tingly wherever he touched.

"You need to take better care of yourself," Tsukishima scolded, his tone not too sharp. "This is why I can't leave you alone," he added in a low mumble before applying the cream to the burn area.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whispered as he did his darn best not to blush. He looked to the side, trying not to make eye contact with Tsukki. Tsukki was surprisingly gentle as he applied the cream and it caused all sorts of fluttery feeling to erupt in Yamaguchi's chest.

"Be more careful next time. I'm sick of coming back from practicing and finding you injured," Tsukishima flatly instructed as he finished the job.

"I don't hurt myself that often," Yamaguchi retorted with a small pout.

Tsukishima replied with one of his sassy smirks and a breathy laugh as he stood up.

"I don't!" Yamaguchi wind as his pout became more prominent.

"Whatever you say, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima sassed as he placed the tube of cream back into his bag.

Whenever Tsukki teased him there was always a light-hearted edge to it that Tsukki reserved only for Yamaguchi. He could not help but smile as he watched Tsukki settle in for the night. He couldn't help but feel grateful, blessed even, for having Tsukki as his best friend.

The rest of the afternoon passed by calmly. Eevee didn't growl or hiss at Riolu even once, though she did keep her distance. She only begged to be held by Yamaguchi a few times and when it was time for Yamaguchi to cook she made due with Tsukki as her snuggle buddy. She wasn't anywhere near being weaned off of being babied but it was definitely a start.

It was late evening when all three trainers finally had a chance to sit around the fire and relax. Yamaguchi had served each Pokemon and trainer a small bowl of freshly made pecha berry cobbler. Despite the upset earlier in the day the cobbler had been a success.

"Wow, this is super amazing, Yamaguchi," Kanoka sang as she dug in to the treat.

Tsukishima gave a hum of agreement before taking another large bite.

"Thanks but it's not me you should be praising," Yamaguchi laughed as he too enjoyed the dessert. "It was mostly my team that accomplished tonight's dessert."

"Wow, so was this practice for an upcoming showcase or something?" Kanoka asked.

"Nah," Yamaguchi said with a small shake of his head. "More like good old team building."

"Oh, right," Kanoka replied with a small laugh. "Eevee and Riolu?"

"Well, all four participated but Eevee and Riolu are what inspired the idea," Yamaguchi confirmed. "I didn't realize their conflict with each other was that obvious."

"How can it not be with the amount of times Eevee glares at Riolu," Tsukishima flatly pointed out.

"I have no clue why she is so agitated about Riolu being on my team," Yamaguchi mumbled in thought. "I mean, Riolu hasn't done a thing to Eevee so it just doesn't make sense. On top of that, Eevee gets along with Popplio and Swirlix just fine."

"Quite strange indeed," Kanoka agreed as she too tried to puzzle together the cause of the strange behaviors.

"She's obviously jealous," Tsukishima grumbled, catching the attention of the other two. "Doesn't want to share you with Riolu."

"But why?" Yamaguchi pressed, wondering if Tsukki might have an idea.

"Isn't it obvious, Riolu is a baby Pokemon, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima pointed out with a hint of snark. "Eevee wants to be the only baby. It's classic sibling rivalry."

"A baby Pokemon?" Yamaguchi echoed in thought. It hadn't even occurred to him that this might be the case.

"Oh right, maybe that's it," Kanoka agreed. "It's like how me and my sister used to argue for attention when we were small," she laughed as she reminisced her younger years.

Yamaguchi looked down at Eevee who was currently digging in to the small bit of cobbler Yamaguchi had given her. His brow furrowed in worry for he was an only child. He hadn't ever had to deal with sibling problems. He did know a bit from interacting with Tsukki and his brother growing up though but never experienced it for himself.

"Don't worry, Yamaguchi," Kanoka hummed. "With time I'm sure Eevee and Riolu will be the best of friends. Just give them time."

"Right, time," Yamaguchi sighed, wondering just how much time it would take. He had to admit that he was relieved to finally came to a conclusion as to why Eevee was behaving so poorly towards Riolu. Eevee may be difficult now but Yamaguchi was certain that she would come around to Riolu eventually.

Oh my! What an upet. Looks like little Eevee is growing up to be quite the handful. Will Yamaguchi be able to guide her down the path of success? Will Eevee and Riolu ever be able to get along? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all! So I have officially moved to my new place so that means I should be able to hopefully get back to regular updates. I am not sure quite yet what the update schedule will look like. I am about to also start a new job so I hope to still post one new chapter a week but we will have to see. I should know by June what my everyday schedule is going to look like.

As always I want to think you all for hanging around even though I had to take a short break. I really do appreciate all you readers and your feedback really came through and encouraged me to come back here asap and keep writing. Let me know what you think about this latest chapter and the fic as a whole. I also want to thank any and all kudos, likes and follows on this fic. Any sort of feedback is great.

I am very excited to find time to write yet again. I'm about to enter another part of the fic that I am very excited to write and share with you all so please bare with me for more exciting things are to come down the line.

That's all for now! See you next chapter!


	32. Cyllage City

Hey all! Chapter 32 is good and ready for reading! I hope you enjoy. I wonder who we are going to meet in this chapter.

The song I recommend for this chapter is definitely the Cyllage City theme. Not only because the chapter is set in Cyllage City but the upbeat song goes well with the antics of this chapter!

I would like to thank ninalover359 (Their tumblr name) for taking time to beta this chapter. I appreciate their hard work so let's all thank them :)

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all be created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

That is all for now! I choose you, Chapter 32!

Cyllage City

From the moment that the three entered Cyllage City Yamaguchi could tell that Kanoka had become exponentially more nervous. Whether Tsukki was picking up on it or not, Yamaguchi didn't know. Several times he wanted to comfort her but a part of him thought it would be better not to bring up childhood crushes around Tsukki. He feared to know what would happen if it got out that he harbored more than like feelings for this blond best friend.

It was late noon when the three trainers made it to the city's Pokemon Center. They deposited their pokemon to Nurse Joy before settling down for a quick bite while they waited. Kanoka looked just as nervous now as she had when they entered the city.

Tsukishima didn't seem to be bothered by her off behavior, probably writing it off as nerves for the upcoming gym battle, but Yamaguchi had an inkling that her nerves came from something more than just a gym battle.

"So will you two be going to the gym for your battle today?" Yamaguchi asked, unsure what else to say. The other two trainers seemed slightly distracted, taking a moment each to process the question.

"I'll go tomorrow," Tsukishima flatly replied. "It's most likely too late to schedule in a battle for today."

"M-Me, too!" Kanoka sputtered, winning her a very questioning look from Tsukishima. "Tomorrow it is! Hehehe!" as she spoke she tried and failed to act normal.

Yamaguchi felt a heap of second hand embarrassment for Kanoka. "I'm sure it's going to be just fine," Yamaguchi insisted, doing his best to be supportive.

"You really think so?" Kanoka asked, her tone breathy and unsure. "What if he doesn't remember me?"

Tsukishima lifted an eyebrow, looking between Kanoka and Yamaguchi.

"He will," Yamaguchi reassured, hoping to god that her childhood friend hadn't forgotten who she was. If Tsukki ever forgot him, Yamaguchi knew he would surely die from heartbreak.

Kanoka sent Yamaguchi her best confident smile. The corner of her lips strained with uncertainty as she smiled.

Tsukishima looked between the two once more before shrugging it off. "I don't want to know," he grumbled before either trainer could explain. He could already tell that whatever it was, it was far too complicated and annoying for him to care.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed, reading loud and clear that Tsukki was bothered.

"Tsukishima, it's just-" Kanoka began, obviously worried over Tsukishima's annoyance.

"I said I don't want to know," Tsukishima cut in before anymore could be said. He then swiftly stood, not bothering to look at either Kanoka or Yamaguchi. "I'll be training this afternoon."

"Will you be back for dinner?" Yamaguchi asked, studying Tsukki carefully to see how annoyed he was.

"Should be," Tsukishima curtly replied. He didn't seem too annoyed at anyone in particular; just his normal generally annoyed self.

"See you this evening then," Yamaguchi said with a relieved smile.

Tsukishima replied with a small nod, his annoyance petering away ever so slightly. He then turned on his heel and made for the exit.

"I hope he isn't mad," Kanoka sighed, watching as Tsukishima exited the building.

"He'll be fine," Yamaguchi gently brushed off. "So, are you going to practice this afternoon?"

"Maybe…. I don't know," Kanoka sighed, her brow furrowed in worry. "I guess I'm just feeling anxious. I don't really know what to do."

"You're welcome to join me in town, if you want," Yamaguchi suggested. "I hear Kiyoko Shimizu is here to do a signing and I was thinking of getting one for a friend of mine if I'm not too late."

"Kiyoko?" Kanoka asked, knowing she had heard the name but can't remember from where.

"Yeah, she is the current Kalos Queen," Yamaguchi explained. "I'm also hoping to maybe get a tip or two from her if I am lucky."

"Oh right, I remember seeing her on TV before, I think," Kanoka hummed with a nod. "She is that pretty lady with the beauty mark, right."

"Yup, that's her," Yamaguchi replied with a nod. "Want to join?"

"I suppose it might help me take my mind off things," Kanoka gave a tentative nod.

It wasn't long before the two trainers gathered up their pokemon and headed into to town. With Eevee in his arms Yamaguchi did his best to orient himself before Kanoka took the lead.

"I hope the line to meet Kiyoko isn't too long," Yamaguchi hummed in mild worry. It was late in the afternoon already and he knew the prospect of them meeting with Kiyoko was probably not likely but it would be worth it to get a signature for Yachi.

"So, do you think you're ready to see your friend?" Yamaguchi asked as the two made their way through the town.

"I s-suppose I am," Kanoka nervously laughed. "Just a bit nervous… if you couldn't tell."

"N-no, you've been fine," Yamaguchi lied, not wanting to discourage Kanoka.

Kanoka shot him a very disbelieving glance. "Well, I just hope I can get it together when I see him tomorrow," she sighed loudly. "The last thing I want to do is make a fool of myself after all these years."

"You guys sounded close so I bet it's going to be just fine," Yamaguchi reassured.

"I guess," Kanoka mumbled, not sounding convinced. "I mean, he is just so cool, flashy and kind but I'm none of that. He's probably forgotten all about me."

"No way, you're super cool too, Kanoka," Yamaguchi insisted a bit too earnestly. Eevee gave a small trill of agreement.

"You're just saying that because you're my friend," Kanoka pouted.

Yamaguchi opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by someone shouting his name.

"Yamaguchi! Is that you?!" Came the voice of none other than Nishinoya.

Yamaguchi did a odd sort of spin in an attempt to locate Noya.

"Oh no! It's him!" Kanoka gasped loudly, grabbing Yamaguchi by the shoulders and jumping behind him.

"Noya?" Yamaguchi asked, shocked. As Kanoka held him still he was able to see Noya bounding his way followed closely by a scary looking trainer with a shaved head.

"No! The taller one! That's him! Tanaka!" Kanoka squeaked as she ducked behind Yamaguchi.

"Yamaguchi! Long time no see," Noya shouted as he and Tanaka came closer.

"I'm just not ready!" Kanoka cried before she tore herself from Yamaguchi and ran down an alley.

"Kanoka!" Yamaguchi gasped as he watched her disappear behind a corner. He then turned to find Noya almost nose to nose with him.

"Who was she!?" Noya asked a bit too interested. "She looked cute!"

"Hey, Noya!" Yamaguchi greeted awkwardy, unsure if he should have gone after Kanoka.

"Hey!" Tanaka greeted in what came across to Yamaguchi as an aggressive tone. The bald trainer had a smile and a face that remind Yamaguchi of a Sharpedo.

Yamaguchi gave a shy nervous nod, still a bit unsure of Tanaka.

"This is him, Tanaka!" Noya proudly introduced as he pushed Yamaguchi up into Tanaka's face. "He's the guy in the forest I told you about!"

"Oh, you're much taller in person than on TV," Tanaka greeted as he gave Yamaguchi's shoulder a very sharp sturdy pat. "Name's Tanaka! Noya told me all about you!"

"H-He has?" Yamaguchi stuttered, a little confused as to what was going on. "I-I mean, you c-can call me Yamaguchi!" he corrected quickly.

"Well it's nice to finally meet you, Yamaguchi!" Tanaka said with another strong pat to Yamaguchi's shoulder. Yamaguchi did his best not to stumble as Tanaka patted his back.

"N-Noya's talked about me?" Yamaguchi eeped, wondering why Noya would ever talk about him to others.

"Yep! Told me all about how he inspired you to do showcases," Tanaka replied with a sharp toothy smile.

Yamaguchi looked to Noya to find the shorter trainer smiling brightly. He couldn't bring himself to deny them. "Y-Yeah, he showed me a routine in the forest once," Yamaguchi agreed with a breathy laugh.

"Yup, showed him everything I know!" Noya laughed as he gave Yamaguchi's other shoulder a strong pat.

Yamaguchi wasn't one for so much aggressive affection but he took the friendly banter nonetheless.

"I saw you in your first showcase, Yamaguchi! That last move was amazing," Noya carried on in excitement. "Did you make that move up all on your own?"

"Th-thanks," Yamaguchi shyly replied, still a bit overwhelmed by the current situation. "Y-Yeah, it's something I came up with I guess."

"It was definitely what I call a show stopper," Noya hooted with excitement. "I knew I saw something in you when we first met.

"It was nothing special," Yamaguchi said with a bright blush.

"So modest," Tanaka gumbled jovially. He gave Yamaguchi another hard pat.

Yamaguchi's shoulders were beginning to ache from all the rough affection.

"So what brings you to Cyllage City!?" Noya asked as he backed up to give Yamaguchi some space.

"You here to see the goddess of all of Kalos, too?" Tanaka asked with hearts in his eyes.

"Goddess of Kalos?" Yamaguchi echoed with a tilt of his head.

"The Goddess of Kalos," Tanaka repeated with a dream gusto. "With her milky smooth skin and silky black hair."

"Her cool demeanor yet she still sparkles like the sun," Noya added on in a similar dreamy manner.

"Are you talking about Shimizu?" Yamaguchi cherped, tilting his head the other way.

"How dare you speak of her name so casually!" Tanaka barked, causing Yamaguchi to jump back a bit. "You didn't come here to make a move on her, did you!?" Tanaka aggressively asked, getting far too close to Yamaguchi once more.

"What!? N-No!" Yamaguchi squeaked in surprise, backing away from the snarling Tanaka.

"Hey, Bro, he's cool," Noya insisted as he pulled Tanaka out of Yamaguchi's face. "This one is already taken anyways," he added with a bright smile.

Tanaka studied Yamaguchi with a sharp eye as he backed off. "If you say so…" He grumbled after a moment.

"Y-yes! I-I'm taken!" Yamaguchi insisted, not really thinking through what he just said.

Tanaka smiled once more as he slung an arm around Yamaguchi's shoulder, pulling him close. "So, who is the lucky girl?" Tanaka growled like a happy uncle catching up with his nephew. "Was it that tall beauty you were with?"

"W-What?" Yamaguchi asked in shock, his cheeks going pink. "M-Me and Kanoka!? N-No way," he insisted, hoping to god Tsukki wasn't anywhere near to hear this conversation.

"Nah, he's smitten with the tall blond guy with the attitude I told you about," Noya laughed, causing Yamaguchi's cheeks to go bright red. "Unless you and Blondie have gone your separate ways…"

"T-Tsukki and I are still together!" Yamaguchi replied a bit too quickly. "I-I mean t-traveling together!" he quickly corrected, his cheeks going bright red. This whole conversation of who he was with was starting to make him dizzy.

"Right!" Tanaka laughed, giving Yamaguchi a playful nudge of the shoulder.

"So it looks like you and Tsukishima have picked up a new travel partner?" Noya brightly asked. "Kanoka was her name?"

"Yeah, I guess she has been traveling with us the past week or so," Yamaguchi nodded, wanting to slip out of Tanaka's hold but equally not wanting to insult him. "She is currently collecting gym badges like Tsukki."

"Well she looks like quite the catch," Noya smiled with a thumbs up. "Too bad she is wasting herself on you two," he added in a joking manner.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink once more from the comment.

"So, your two travel companions have come to challenge me!?" Tanaka barked in excitement, finally releasing Yamaguchi from his death hold.

"You?" Yamaguchi mumbled, slightly confused.

"Yeah, Tanaka here is the leader of the Cyllage Gym," Noya said proudly.

"You're the gym leader!?" Yamaguchi gasped, his mouth open like a dead fish. Did Kanoka know Tanaka was the gym leader?

"Yep! You're two friends will have to defeat me to win the Cliff badge," Tanaka nodded in a very competitive manner. "So I hope they are ready for a challenge."

"They are both very strong trainers!" Yamaguchi earnestly insisted. "Especially Kanoka, she is sure to give you a good challenge," he added, hoping to see if Tanaka recognised the name.

"Well, now I am even more excited to take her on!" Tanaka cheered, not seeming to react in a way like he recognised the name.

"Y-Yeah, Kanoka is super strong," Yamaguchi reiterated, unsure if he should just tell Tanaka who she was or if he should let Tanaka realize it for himself.

"Well, I guess I'll need to drop by the gym tomorrow to see that battle," Noya cut in, neither him or Tanaka taking much notice of Yamaguchi's odd behaviour.

"Sounds good!" Yamaguchi replied with a strained smile, trying not to come across disappointed. He really was happy to see Noya again but worried for Kanoka. Tanaka doesn't seem to remember her. Maybe once he sees her his memory will jog.

"Great!" Noya barked in joy, giving Yamaguchi another hearty pat. "Now, how's about we see if we aren't too late for the meet and greet with Kiyoko."

"Oh, right!' Yamaguchi replied, his cheeks turning red from almost forgetting what he was doing in the first place.

With that the three trainers headed down the street. Tanaka and Noya flanked either side of Yamaguchi, both talking enthusiastically about their love for Kiyoko. Yamaguchi would nod and hum at every comment, unable to relate to their adoration in the same way. He made a mental note to introduce Noya to Yachi the next time he had a chance. She'd probably understand.

The sun was almost down when Yamaguchi made it back to the Pokemon Center hostel. Tsukki had yet to arrive back. Yamaguchi expected he would return at any moment. What he did find in their room was a very miserable Kanoka who was currently sprawled out face down at the small table.

"Hey, I'm back," Yamaguchi greeted as cheerfully as he could.

"Gahhh!" Kanoka moaned in reply, not removing her forehead from the wooden surface of the table.

"So, how was your afternoon?" Yamaguchi awkwardly asked as he took a seat across from Kanoka.

"I'm a coward," Kanoka replied with a pathetic groan. She lifted her head from the table to look at Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi was relieved to find that she hadn't been crying.

"Hey, don't say that," Yamaguchi gently reassured. "These sorts of things are complicated."

Kanoka gave a small nod, though a pout hung heavy on her lips. "What did he say?" she eventually asked, glancing up at Yamaguchi.

"Who? Tanaka?" Yamaguchi replied for clarification. "He and Noya, the other guy he was with, were on their way to meet Kiyoko as well."

Kanoka deflated a bit as she released a small sigh. "Kiyoko is so pretty. How am I ever going to compete with that!"

"Compete with Kiyoko?" Yamaguchi almost laughed. "It's not like those two stand a chance with her so don't worry."

Kanoka sent Yamaguchi a slightly annoyed glance.

"N-Not that Tanaka isn't worthy of her or anything," Yamaguchi quickly corrected with a nervous laugh.

Kanoka sighed once more as she leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. "Did he say anything about me?" she eventually asked, not bothering to look back at Yamaguchi.

"I don't think he got a good enough look at you," Yamaguchi admisted, a bit nervous about telling Kanoka the truth.

"Hummm" Kanoka replied, her shoulders relaxing a bit. "What am I going to do if he doesn't remember who I am. I'll feel like an idiot…"

"I'm sure once he sees you properly he'll remember. You two sounded pretty close when you were younger," Yamaguchi assured. Tanaka couldn't be that airheaded, could he?

"Yeah…" Kanoka mumbled, not sounding too convinced.

"Just be honest and I'm sure his memory will be jogged," Yamaguchi said with a bright smile. "Nothing to worry about."

"Not worrying. Funny coming from you," Kanoka joked, looking from the ceiling to Yamaguchi.

"Hey, I can't help it if I have a nervous nature," Yamaguchi replied with a playful pout.

Kanoka gave a small giggle that was followed by a slightly less sorrowful sigh. "Thanks for the talk, Yamaguchi."

"Anytime, Kanoka." Yamaguchi brightly replied. He always did enjoy helping his friends.

"And when you're finally ready to confess to Tsukishima I will be here for you," Kanoka added with a teasing smile.

"What!?" Yamaguchi sputtered, almost falling out of his chair.

As if on queue, Tsukishima entered through the door just at Yamaguchi caught himself from falling. With Kanoka giggling uncontrollably and Yamaguchi pulling himself back into his chair Tsukishima sent them both a suspicious glance. 

"Did I interrupt something?" Tsukishima grumbled, his eyes lingering on a blushing Yamaguchi.

"N-No!" Yamaguchi barked in haste. "Nothing! You've interrupted nothing! Everything fine!" He sputtered, stumbling over his words.

Tsukishima didn't seem convinced. Kanoka's muffled giggles didn't help.

"Who's up for dinner?" Yamaguchi quickly asked, doing his best to act casual.

Tsukishima's eyes lingered on him for a long moment before he replied. "Right… I guess I'm ready for dinner whenever," he eventually huffed, giving up on trying to read the situation.

"I'm definitely down to eat," Kanoka said with a large smile. Yamaguchi was happy to see her less miserable even if it was at his expense.

"Great! I'll cook you guys something delicious and nutritious to prep you for your gym battle tomorrow," Yamaguchi cheered, standing from the table. "I'll have Popplio come and get you guys when it's almost done," and with that Yamaguchi made for the door. He needed a moment to rest his poor heart.

What will Kanoka do? Will Tanaka recall who she is? Will the two old friends be able to reunite. Will this help settle Yamaguchi's resolve with his feeling for Tsukki? That and more will be answered if you keep in reading.

Hello , everyone. Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give this old fic a read. I should be able to update regularly for the next few months at least so expect to see a new chapter next week. I should mention that I am living in a different timezone than where I lived before (there is like a 17hr difference) so my new schedule is probably going to be a bit different from my old one. I am still going to shoot for weekends local for me.

As always, thank you all so much for taking the time to read this fic. I appreciate the bookmarks, kudos, follows and especially comments/reviews. If you have time please do drop a comment or review. Feedback is always great. I like to know how my readers react and such so don't be shy.

Anyways, that is all for now. I will see you all next chapter.


	33. Cyllage Gym: Part 1

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well and are ready for chapter 33. It's time for a Kanoka and Tanaka focused chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

As for a recommended track to go along with this chapter I feel like the Theme for Twinleaf Town would fit really nice for the opening of this chapter.

I would like to thank ninalover359 (Their tumblr name) for taking time to beta this chapter. I appreciate their hard work so let's all thank them :)

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all be created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Chapter 33, I choose you!

Cyllage Gym: Part 1

A small girl no older than ten sat slumped against a tree on Sinnoh's route 205. A small Turtwig sat at her side as she cried large wet tears. She had started her journey a month ago yet had next to nothing to show of it. She hadn't caught a single pokemon and she had lost all three Pokemon Contest she had joined. She hadn't even made it to the second round. She was a failure, a disaster, a disgrace to her family name.

Kanoka knew from day one that she was not cut out to be a top Coordinator like her mother was. Kanoka was decent in battle but had little to no finesse or stage presence and her lack of performance seemed to leak out onto Turtwig. She wasn't as cute or pretty as the other girls who performed alongside her nor did she contain an ounce of charm like the boys she competed against. A tall, lanky, uncoordinated girl like her had no business on a stage performing.

Another small sob left her throat once more as Turtwig did his best to comfort his beloved trainer. Kanoka felt her heart sink as she allowed Turtwig into her lap. What a laughable trainer she was being comforted like this by her pokemon. It was a wonder Turtwig even listened to her.

"Hey, why are you crying?" came a small gruff voice.

With a small jump Kanoka looked up. Through her tears she saw a boy with a buzzed head and sharp eyes looking down at her. While he had a stern look about him his eyes carried worry. It took Kanoka a moment but she recognized this boy as one of the kids who left for his journey on the same day she had. She recalled him telling Professor Rowan that he would be using his Geodude as his starting Pokemon as opposed to one of the normal starters given out to kids.

The boy patiently waited for an answer as he looked down at Kanoka.

"I… I…" Kanoka sputtered, unsure how to reply to the boy.

The boy took a seat next to Kanoka, leaning up on the same tree. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he sighed as he looked up to the sky.

Kanoka gave another small sniff, unsure why the boy was bothering talking to her. She wasn't used to such kindness.

"I… I can't seem to win a single competition," Kanoka finally sighed.

"Oh, you're a Coordinator?" The boy perked up a bit as he spoke.

Kanoka gave a small shy nodd, still feeling quite ashamed. "No matter how hard I try I never make it past the first round," Kanoka sighed.

"Yeah, gym battles have been rough on me and my Pokemon, too," The boy sighed. "The path to victory can be so unforgiving but I refuse to give up," he loudly declared.

Kanoka looked to the boy in a mix of shock and admiration. She wished she too could have such confidence.

The boy looked to her with a large toothy smile. "Name's Tanaka Ryūnosuke. Sorry I didn't properly introduce myself back at Professor Rowan's. I was itching to get on the road that day!"

"I-I'm Amanai Kanoka," Kanoka meekly replied. She couldn't help but smile a bit at Tanaka's earnest attitude.

"That's what I like to see!" Tanaka grinned brightly. "You have a nice smile so you should wear it more often."

Kanoka felt her cheeks go pink at the compliment. "Th-thank you," she quietly replied.

"Hey, what direction are you heading next?" Tanaka asked, perking up even more.

Kanoka thought for a long moment, not really sure where she was heading to next. "Nowhere in particular I guess," she shrugged.

"Then why don't you join me for a bit. Maybe we can help each other train," Tanaka suggested his eyes on fire. "Your tears can't fool me, I know you are a lot stronger than you're letting on!"

Kanoka felt her heart give a small flutter. She had no clue what Tanaka was talking about but he looked at her with so much determination. She thought for a moment on how best to answer. "Traveling together sounds quite nice," She agreed, with a bright smile of her own.

"That settles it then," Tanaka said, jumping to his feet. "From here on out we are travel buddies," as he spoke he reached his hand out for Kanoka to take.

The bright sun shown from behind Tanaka almost like a halo around his head. Kanoka could not help but release a small gasp of amazement before taking the boy's hand. With a strong pull, Tanaka pulled Kanoka onto her feet. The girl was much taller than he was but Tanaka didn't seem to show any mind to it.

"Now no more tears!" Tanaka instructed strictly. "From here on out we are both going to walk with our heads high!" he said with a bright smile.

Kanoka felt a warmth spread from her heart. It was a new found determination. "Right, no more tears!" Kanoka agreed with a small giggle.

The year Kanoka had spent traveling Sinnoh with Tanaka had been the best of her life. Tanaka may not have realized it but he had saved Kanoka from giving up on her dreams that day. Even when the two parted, Kanoka cherished the year she had spent alongside Tanaka.

The next morning was bright and warm. It was the perfect spring day and Yamaguchi could smell victory in the air. He was happy to see Kanoka had awoken with much brighter spirits. Her gaze was set and determined throughout all of breakfast. In deep concentration she hadn't said much as they ate, leaving most of the conversation making to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima. Perhaps last night she had come to a resolution. Yamaguchi could not help but admire her strength.

The walk to the gym didn't take long. Both Tsukishima and Kanoka walked in a confident silence that left Yamaguchi feeling pumped and ready to see what the two had planned for their individual battles. When they arrived to the gym they were greeted by a very familiar face.

"Yamaguchi!" Noya waved, shouting loudly as he gave a small jump.

Tsukishima immediately gave a small annoyed 'tch' but didn't react any further.

"Noya!" Yamaguchi called back with a small wave of his own.

As the three approached the gym Noya's eyes landed on Kanoka. Yamaguchi didn't miss the glint of interest in Noya's gaze as they lingered on the tall girl.

"Is this the Kanoka you were talking about yesterday?" Noya asked in unapologetic interest.

"Yeah, she had been traveling with us for the past week or so," Yamaguchi introduced, stepping aside so that the two could properly meet one another. Before Yamaguchi could say anymore Noya rushed passed him.

"Yamaguchi didn't tell me he was traveling with such a beauty," Noya cut in, scooting up close to Kanoka. "The name is Nishinoya Yū. Top quality Pokemon Showcase Contestant, at your service," Noya introduced in a failed attempt at being smooth.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi both stifled a laugh as Kanoka's cheeks dusted pink.

"I-I'm Amanai Kanoka," Kanoka replied with a shy giggle. "It's nice to meet you Nishinoya."

"Please, call me Noya," Noya insisted, still trying to keep a smooth composure. "All my close friends do and since you are friend with Yamaguchi here, you are practically a friend of mine as well."

"Yamaguchi barely knows you," Tsukishima scoffed from beside Yamaguchi. "This is our second time meeting you."

Yamaguchi stifled another laugh. Sometimes Tsukki was too much.

"Who asked you!" Noya snapped in reply. "Besides, Yamaguchi and I are connected through the strong bond of competition. When we first met it was as if we'd known each other for years!" Noya loudly insisted, slinging an arm around Yamaguchi and giving him a one armed bro hug. "Isn't that right, Yamaguchi!"

"Y-Yeah!" Yamaguchi awkwardly replied, now quite sure how to react to the situation.

Tsukishima replied with a loud scoff, unconvinced.

"Well, it is quite nice to meet you, Noya," Kanoka cut in, severing the tension between the two. "I hope we can become good friends, too."

"No doubt we will become fast friends," Noya quickly replied, abandoning Yamaguchi all together to be beside Kanoka.

If this is how Noya acted around pretty girls like Kanoka he could only imagine what he would be like if given the chance to talk directly to Kyoko.

With introduction finally over, Noya lead the three into the gym. "So who's up first!?" Noya asked once they were in the gym.

"I will go first," Tsukishima spoke up, stepping forward as he did so.

"It's more gentleman like to let ladies go first," Noya criticized, sending Tsukishima a look.

Tsukishima released an annoyed 'tch' but before anymore could be said Kanoka swiftly cut in. "I don't mind going second!" she insisted. "Watching Tsukishima battle might help set my heart at ease a little."

"The lady has spoken," Noya hummed in an upbeat manner. "In that case Tsukishima may enter the arena," he instructed, motioning to two large doors. "Us three shall head to the bleachers."

Tsukishima gave a small nod of understanding before heading to the doors.

"Good luck, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi called after.

Tsukishima paused for only a moment, giving a small nod but not turning around. He then disappeared behind the double doors. Yamaguchi's eyes lingered on the doors as they shut behind Tsukki.

"I bet you're encouragement made him blush, that's why he didn't turn around," Kanoka giggled into his ear.

Yamaguchi went bright red as he released a small squeak of embarrassment but managed to mumble an almost incoherent "Tsukki is always this aloof."

Kanoka giggled once more at Noya looked at the two in suspicion.

"If you two are done telling secrets we can now head to the spectator stands," Noya mumbled in mild annoyance.

"R-Right," Yamaguchi sputtered as he rushed past Noya to the stands, his cheeks still dusted red.

Once at the bleachers Yamaguchi sat between Kanoka and Noya. Tsukki was already on his end of the field preparing himself for battle. Tanaka had yet to enter the stadium. Yamaguchi took notice of Kanoka's fixed determined gaze as she looked to the side of the field where Tanaka was sure to enter.

"Oh boy I can't wait to see Tanaka teach Tsukishima a lesson!" Noya laughed from beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi gave an insalted 'humph' as he shot a look to Noya. "There is no way Tsukki is going to lose," Yamaguchi protested.

"Oh yeah, Tanaka is one of the strongest trainers I know!" Noya shot back with a confident nod. "Tsukishima won't know what hit him!"

"Tanaka is the one who is going to be surprised!" Yamaguchi argued back. He believed full in Tsukki's ability.

"We will just have to see," Noya laughed, seemingly enjoying Yamaguchi's competitive side.

It was then that the doors to the Gym Leader's side of the arena opened. As Tanaka entered the stage Yamaguchi heard Kanoka give a small gasp. Her eyes almost held stars in them as she watched Tanaka greet Tsukishima. Yamaguchi couldn't help but wonder if he had the same stars in his eyes when he was looking at Tsukki. The idea set his cheeks pink.

Within the blink of an eye the battle between Tsukishima and Tanaka was call forth an Alolan Geodude while Tsukishima called for his Frogadier. The battle between the two Pokemon was very much one sided. Frogadier hoped around the field with such ease Yamaguchi was amazed. Even when Geodude tried any electric attack on Frogadier they never landed. Tsukishima's commands and Frogadier movements were in such unison that it was like they were almost one mind. Tsukki really had been training hard with Frogadier.

Every now and then, when Geodude took a hit, Yamaguchi would hear Kanoka give a small gasp. It wasn't long before Geodude was unable to battle.

"If it weren't for the type advantage Tanaka would have won this!" Noya mumbled.

"Tsukki would win even if he were using a fire type against Geodude!" Yamaguchi snapped back. No one was going to belittle Tsukki's hard work under his watch.

"You are a lot stronger than I expected," Tanaka said with a huff, not showing too much frustration over his loss. "Come on out Onix!" He shouted as he summoned his next Pokemon.

Tsukishima chose to keep Frogadier in battle. He eye were set and determined. Yamaguchi could tell that Tsukki was in no doubt going to win. He could not help but smile at the confidence of his best friend.

It didn't take Frogadier long to get an upper hand on Onix and the next thing they knew Onix was unable to battle. Yamaguchi gave a loud woop from the stands as the announcer declared Tsukishima the winner of the gym battle.

"He got lucky having such a strong water type on his side," Noya pouted.

"No one is better at battles than Tsukki," Yamaguchi boasted loudly. He could feel Tsukishima shooting him a look from the field as he did so.

"Well, looks like I'm up next," Kanoka announced as she stood from her seat.

Yamaguchi looked to find her carrying a very determined expression. He was relieved to see that she was not showing any signs of nervousness.

"Even if he doesn't recall who I am I will walk with my head held high," Kanoka declared bravely.

Yamaguchi smiled, envying how brave Kanoka was to not only face a gym battle but also the prospect of the one she love not returning her feelings. "You got this," Yamaguchi said with an encouraging smile.

Kanoka looked to Yamaguchi with one last soft smile, her eyes not losing their determination. With that she exited the stands.

Oh my, folks! Here it comes! Will Tanaka recall who Kanoka is? Will the two unite as a loving couple? Will Kanoka win her next gym badge? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned!

So the next chapter should be up as normal next week. I hope you guys are enjoying the little Tanaka Kanoka side story here. It was so much fun to write and I just adore these two so much! Their story in the manga is just so sweet I couldn't help but repurpose it for this Pokemon AU.

As always, thank you all so much for you kind bookmarks, follows, kudos and reviews. Feedback from readers is ALWAYS great for any fic writer so please do leave me some feedback in the comment section below. I'd love to hear from you.

Well, that is all for now! See you next chapter!

Fanfic Review Replies:

To the two guests who have left me kind comments. Thank you all so much for reading this story so far. There are going to be a lot more Tsukkiyama to come so don't worry I hope you enjoy the chapters so come!


	34. Cyllage Gym: Part 2

The time has come, folks! Will Tanaka and Kanoka's reunion go smoothly!? Let's find out!

With this chapter the best theme to accompany it while you read is definitely N's Farewell. It fits well with the beginning and ending of the chapter so please do give the song a listen to while reading. You won't regret it. Here is a beautiful cover of the song by one of my favorite Pokemon remixers, HoopsandHipHop ( watch?v=JPg_pxCRO7Y).

I would like to thank ninalover359 (Their tumblr name) for taking time to beta this chapter. I appreciate their hard work so let's all thank them :)

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all be created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 24!

Cyllage Gym: Part 2

Kanoka hadn't made it to the Grand Festival that year. She had only won two ribbons in the year she had spent traveling along side Tanaka. The two trainers had shared both joy and pain in battles and had grown at trainers as a result. They had been there to support each other even through the toughest of challenges and Kanoka was almost certain she never would have made it this far if she hadn't met Tanaka.

She had just gotten the call from her mother the day before. Her family would be moving to Johto and she was expected to go with them. When she argued about staying in Sinnoh longer her mother said she could carry on her journey in Johto. She told Kanoka she was too young to be regions away from her family. The news broke Kanoka's heart bringing her to tears the night she had received it. With the Pokemon league now passed Tanaka had agreed to accompany her back to her hometown.

The sun set as the two made their way to the entrance of the town. The two walked in solemn silence. With each step they took Kanoka's heart broke more and more. She longed to carry on traveling beside Tanaka. She did not want to part with the boy who taught her to truly cherish and believe in herself.

With the sky now orange and pink from the setting sun, Kanoka prepared her heart for the inevitable as they stood at the town gate.

"Tanaka I…" Kanaoka began, unsure what to say. She felt her eyes welled up with tears.

"Hey, there is no need to cry," Tanaka spoke in a very rare soft voice, a voice Kanoka rarely ever heard him use.

Kanoka looked up to find Tanaka withe a soft sad smile upon his face. The setting sun shone behind him like a halo just as it did on the day the two had started traveling together.

"I-I don't want to say goodbye," Kanoka released a small sad sob.

"This isn't goodbye, just a see you later," Tanaka comforted.

Kanoka released another small sob before she felt a soft embrace. She leaned into Tanaka's warm hug. "Promise me we'll meet again," She said with a hiccup.

"If we keep on moving forward with our heads held high we will definitely cross paths again," Tanaka softly insisted stepping back so that the two could see one another once more. He wiped a tear from Kanoka's cheek. "So no more crying."

With one last small sob Kanoka gave a nod. "This year has been the best of my life," Kanoka said as her sobs subsided.

"Yeah, it has been a pretty good year," Tanaka agreed. "But we still both have a long way to go!"

Kanoka looked to Tanaka with a sad smile. She longed to carry on making more memories beside Tanaka.

"Hey, let's promise that until we meet again we will make a ton of new memories to share with one another," Tanaka suggested. "Promise?" As he spoke he held out his pinky to Kanoka.

"And promise we won't forget each other or this year we spent together," Kanoka added as she looked to Tanaka's pinky before taking it in her own.

"It's a promise," Tanaka said with a bright smile.

The two shook on the promise. Their pinkies stay intertwined for a beat before separating.

"You're a lot stronger than you let on Kanoka. I believe in you so don't give up ever," Tanaka said with determination.

"I will never give up again. No more looking back for me," Kanoka said with a bright smile. "When we meet again we'll have so much to talk about!"

"Until we meet again, Kanoka," Tanaka replied, his face a mix of determination and sadness.

Kanoka had stood at the town's gate that evening watching Tanaka disappear into the sunset. It was the last time she would see Tanaka for a long while. It was a few days later on a clear starry night at that same gate that she would realized her feeling for the boy. It was too late then but she promised to hold on to these feeling until they met once more.

Kanoka stood across form Tanaka. Her old friend didn't seem to recognise who she was at first glance. It had been years since they had last talked to one another. While Tanaka stayed mostly the same, Kanoka was well aware that she had changed from the ten year old girl she used to be. Despite this she was determined to convey through this battle who she was once and for all.

"This battle is an official gym battle between Amanai Kanoka and Ryūnosuke Tanaka the Cyllage Gym Leader," the referee began. "This is a two on two battle. The challenger is allowed to switch out her two Pokemon at any point in the battle but the gym leader may not. Whoever is left with a Pokemon able to battle is the winner. The first to have all their Pokemon knocked out and unable to battle will be the loser. You may now start your battle."

Tanaka's sharp eyes lingered on Kanoka for a long moment before he called forth his first Pokemon. "Geodude come on out," He called with a toss of the Pokeball.

"Pancham, let's show him what we got!" Kanoka called as she summoned her Pancham from it's ball.

"Geodude use Sand Attack!" Tanaka commanded. His Geodude jumped into action almost immediately.

Tanaka was fast and ready to go but so was Kanoka. "Pancham use Karate Chop!"

With the sand almost blinding Pancham he barely landed a hit on Geodude.

"Geodude Take Down!" Tanaka called almost immediately after Geodude received the blow from Pancham. Almost unphased, Geodude jumped into action.

Kanoka was surprised to see Geodude bounce back after receiving an effective hit. "Pancham look out!" She cried as Geodude sent Pancham flying. "Pancham are you okay!"

The small panda pokemon got to its feet with a shake of it's head.

"Pancham Karate Chop one more time!" Kanoka shouted.

"Take Down Geodude, once more" Tanaka countered.

The two pokemon clashed with a cloud of smoke. Everyone watched with a held breath as the dust cleared.

"Both Pancham and Geodude are unable to battle," The referee announced as the dust revealed two fainted Pokemon.

"Good work Geodude!" Tanaka praised as he recalled his Pokemon.

"You did great, Pancham," Kanoka said as she too called back Pancham.

"You're a lot stronger than I was expecting," Tanaka said with an excited laugh.

Kanoka felt her cheeks go pink at the compliment. "Well, I still have a lot more to show you!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Tanaka said in a determined gruff voice.

"Graveler, come on out!" Tanaka called as he chose his next Pokemon.

"Grotle, I choose you!" Kanoka shouted as she called forth her partner Pokemon.

"Hehe, looks like Turtwig has grown since I last saw him," Tanaka said with a sharp excited smile.

Kanoka felt her heart skip a beat. Did Tanaka recognise her? Warmth filled her chest but she couldn't let this distract her. She had a gym battle to win.

"Let us show you just how much we've both grown!" Kanoka declared.

"Bring it, Kanoka!" Tanaka growled in excitement.

"Grotle use Razor Leaf!" Kanoka shouted.

"Graveler, Defence Curl!" Tanaka countered.

Although the leaves made a direct hit it did less damage than normal.

"Graveler, Rockslide," Tanaka commanded.

Graveler jumped into action as Kanoka shouted a command of "Leech Seed."

Rock slide made a direct his as Grotle's Leech Seed wounded it way around Graveler. Graveler's movements became hindered as the vines zapped its energy.

"Hang in there Graveler!" Tanaka shouted. "Use Earthquake!"

"No!" Kanoka gasped, knowing there was little chance they'd be able to dodge this move. "Grotle use Mega Drain!" She commanded in a last ditch effort.

As the earth shook under Grotle's feet the grass type used all its strength to hit Graveler with a Mega Drain.

The two Pokemon faced off, both equally exhausted.

"Grotle use Razor leaf," Kanoka commanded, not ready to give in.

"Finish this with Earthquake one last time, Graveler," Tanaka commanded.

The two tired pokemon jumped into action. But just as Graveler was about to deploy Earthquake, the vines binding him glowed once more and with it zapped his last bit of energy. The large rock pokemon fell face first to the floor.

Silence filled the gym as the referee counted to ten.

"Graveler is unable to battle, Kanoka is the winner!" The referee announced.

Yamaguchi and Noya could he heard cheering from the stands as Kanoka registered her victory.

She had done it. Not only had Tanaka recalled who she was but she was able to beat him in the gym battle.

"You really have grown, haven't you, Kanoka," Tanaka cheered as he made his way across the field to where she stood.

"I never stopped looking forward," Kanoka said with a bright smile. Her heart filled with joy. She had been longing for this day for years.

"I told you we would cross path again someday, didn't I," Tanaka cheered as he presented the Cliff Badge to Kanoka. "Your hard work really shows."

Kanoka delicately took the badge from Tanaka. "I have so much to tell you about my adventures since we last parted," Kanoka brightly replied.

"I can't wait to hear all about them," Tanaka replied with one of his sharp smiles Kanoka had missed seeing.

From the stands Noya looked on in confusion. "Hey, are those two old friends? Had Tanaka been holding out on me?" Noya shouted from his seat.

"They started their journey in Sinnoh around the same time when they were kids," Yamaguchi nodded.

"What!? So Tanaka _has_ been holding out on me," Noya pouted from beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi merely laugh as he drew his attention back to the two trainers on the field. He could not hide a warm smile as he watched Kanoka reunite with her old friend. He was happy that everything was working out so well for Kanoka. He then stole a glance at Tsukki, wondering if he would have the same luck with his crush. Tsukishima sent him a stare causing Yamaguchi to look away quickly.

That night, to celebrate two victories in one day, Yamaguchi made a large meal for Tsukki and Kanoka. Noya and Tanaka join in on the celebration. Through most of the meal Tanaka and Noya told wild stories of their travels. Much joy and laughter was shared around the table that night with Kanoka glowing like a bright star the whole time.

Dinner had gone late into the night with both Tanaka and Noya passed out on the Pokemon Center couches. Tsukki had long since retired to their room leaving just Kanoka and Yamaguchi the only two awake. The two had made their way outside to do a bit of star gazing before bed. With Eevee asleep in his lap, Yamaguchi relaxed beside his good friend.

"I honestly was so worried he wouldn't recall who I was," Kanoka said with a sigh. "I thought for sure he'd have forgotten."

"Well, it seems to me that the year you two spent together also left an impression on Tanaka," Yamaguchi hummed softly.

"I guess I worried for nothing," Kanoka laughed.

"I can relate," Yamaguchi chuckled. "Worrying for nothing is my specialty."

Silence hung between the two for a long moment, both gazing to the stars.

"I want to thank you for allowing me to tag along with you two," Kanoka hummed, her gaze still fixed on the stars.

"The more the merrier," Yamaguchi softly replied. "It's nice having another person to talk to on those days Tsukki is in one of his moods."

Silence hung between the two once more.

"I'm probably going to stay here with Tanaka for awhile longer," Kanoka sighed, though she didn't sound too sad.

Yamauchi wasn't surprised by this declaration.

"I have a lot I still want to tell him," Kanoka carried on. "I also want to properly tell him my feelings."

"We're going to miss your company," Yamaguchi sighed, looking from the stars to Kanoka.

"I'm pretty sure Tsukishima is going to throw a party once he finds out I'm splitting ways with you two," Kanoka joked.

"Oh come on, Tsukki likes having you around," Yamaguchi insisted.

"It's hard for me to read what Tsukki is feeling but often I couldn't help but feel like he viewed me as a third wheel," Kanoka sighed with a small laugh.

"Why would he think that about you?" Yamaguchi hummed in mild confusion.

Kanoka released a small breathy laugh as he studied Yamaguchi.

"My dreams of reuniting and confessing to the one I love is about to become a reality,' Kanoka spoke in a calm tone as she studied Yamaguchi. "Next it's going to be your turn to make your dreams become a reality."

"Wh-what!" Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright pink.

"Next time we meet you better have confessed your feelings to Tsukishima!" Kanoka spoke like a mother telling off her child.

"Me!? Confess to Tsukki!?" Yamaguchi sputtered, his cheeks as bright as a strawberry.

"I believe in you two!" Kanoka said with a wink. "I know it's going to work out!"

Yamaguchi stumbled over his words as he failed to find a decent reply. Kanoka all the while giggled at his expense.

"One day the right opportunity to share your feeling with Tsukki will arrive," Kanoka carried on in a wistful dreamy done. "You have to promise me that when that time comes you won't let it go to waste," her eyes were serious and determined as she looked to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi's cheeks faded from red to pink as he considered what Kanoka said. "I'll do my best to not waste my chance when it comes," he mumbled in reply.

"I believe in you, Yamaguchi,"Kanoka said with a bright smile.

The two carried on gazing at the starry sky as the cool spring air blowed past them. All the while thoughts of confessing to Tsukki danced in Yamaguchi's mind. He hadn't the resolve now to even consider such a thing.

Hurray! Tanaka did recall who Kanoka was. So happy for Kanoka. I hope the two can live happily ever after. Now that begs to question if things will go just as smoothly for Yamaguchi and Tsukishima when the time comes. There is only one way to find out and that is to keep in reading.

As always, thank you all for the kind follows, kudos, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers so do keep it up! Feedback is always a great way to fuel my writing when I am having off days.

I don't have much more to say with this chapter so see you all next chapter.


	35. Cliff By The Sea

Hello all my lovely readers! It is so great to see you all here again. I wonder what our two boys will happen upon now that Kanoka is parting ways with them. How will their adventures flow with just the two of them? Will they become even closer? Let's find out!

My regular beta reader Killer_Squids is back and betating once more for us all. Hurray! You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all be created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

For this particular chapter the song I feel that best suits it's mood is Oración from Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai. I specifically feel like the following piano cover best fits the start of this chapter ( watch?v=QIFeF0KhILY). If you have time please give it a listen while you read.

Enough of the boring stuff! Let's get back on the road with our two boys! I choose you, chapter 35!

Cliff By The Sea

The next morning Yamaguchi and Tsukishima parted ways with Kanoka, Noya, and Tanaka. Yamaguchi was never good with saying goodbye. He always felt like there was so much more he had wanted to say and do with any close individual upon saying goodbye. They had traveled with Kanoka for so long that the idea of not having her around just felt odd.

At the same time, Yamaguchi knew this was best for Kanoka. Perhaps if he voiced his sorrows of parting ways Kanoka would have reconsidered her decision to stay. It would be unfair to ask Tsukki to hang around until Kanoka was ready to carry on with her journey. Despite their parting, Yamaguchi had a feeling that he would be seeing Kanoka, as well as Noya and Tanaka, again someday.

As they parted ways, they all shared words of encouragement to one another, lingering much longer than they really needed to. It wasn't until Tsukki became impatient that Kanoka and Yamaguchi finally bid each other one final farewell.

"Good luck with your next showcase, Yamaguchi!" Kanoka cheered as she gave Yamaguchi a friendly hug.

"I promise to win my next key soon!" Yamaguchi replied determinedly.

"Also, good luck with that other thing," Kanoka whispered into his ear. "Don't let Tsukki get away."

At that, Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright red.

"Are you two done?" Tsukishima snapped from behind Yamaguchi.

"Sorry, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi sputtered as he peeled himself away from Kanoka.

"Next time I see you, it'll be on a stage!" Noya declared at Yamaguchi returned to Tsukki's side. "I won't go easy on you just because I'm your mentor."

"You're not his mentor," Tsukishima quickly sassed.

"No need to feel jealous because Yamaguchi has someone else to look up to now," Noya retorted, as cooly as he could.

"No one said I was jealous," Tsukishima grumbled.

"I'll see you soon, Noya," Yamaguchi cut in. The last thing he needed was a cranky Tsukki as a travel companion.

With that, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima made their way out of the city and down the route. Yamaguchi couldn't help but admire how beautiful surrounding area was as they walked along the path. The particular path they were on bordered a cliff that looked over the sea. The smell of the salt in the air made Yamaguchi feel nostalgic for home.

"Wow, it's been about two months since we left Alola for Kalos," Yamaguchi said, breaking the silence as he watched a Wingull fly low over the ocean waves.

Tsukishima hummed in reply. "Yeah, I suppose we have been traveling for quite some time."

If you had asked Yamaguchi a year ago if he and Tsukki would ever go on a journey like this he would have laughed in your face. A year ago, he would have been working the days away in his family's houseboat bakery, not even considering going on a journey in another region. If he'd even mentioned it to Tsukishima it would have pissed the grumpy blond off, and Yamaguchi would have been given at least a full day of the silent treatment.

Yamaguchi reminisced the day that had changed his mind. For most of his childhood, he was fine with staying at home working the family business and not venturing into the world like most young people his age. It was when his Grandfather suddenly fell ill that Yamaguchi had a change of heart.

"You are still so young, Tadashi," his grandfather had said to him one day when Yamaguchi had come to pay him a visit in the hospital. "It would be a shame for you to spend it on this small Island, never to see other parts of the world."

Yamaguchi had been ashamed back then. He was ashamed for having quit the island trials. He was ashamed for never having given it another try. He was ashamed of giving up and running away.

"Grandpa, I'm just not cut out for that sort of thing," Yamaguchi had replied, his head hung low.

"Nonsense," His grandfather had brushed off. "All you did was have a bit of a stumble. There is still more than enough time for you to get back up and try again."

He looked to his grandfather, quite shocked by his words. In all the years Yamaguchi had spent at home, no one had ever told him something like that. His mother and Grandmother hadn't bothered to push him when he resisted trying again.

"Your Mother and Grandma told me not to push you, Tadashi, but I see something great in you," Grandpa insisted before giving a small wheeze. "There is talent locked away in there and it will never be unlocked if you stay cooped up here on Poni Island like this."

"B-But what about the bakery?" Yamaguchi had tried to argue, but Grandpa cut him off.

"Nonsense! The Bakery will be fine without you for a while," The old man weezed through a laugh.

Silence hung in the air as Grandpa's words sunk into Yamaguchi's mind. He knew he had run away when he quit the island trials, and he felt shame any time he looked back on it. He always used the bakery as an excuse to dodge the idea of him trying the trials once more.

"Hand me that pouch on the side table," Grandpa said as he motioned to a small blue pouch sitting next to a glass of water.

Yamaguchi did as he was asked, passing the pouch to the feeble old man.

"I don't know how much longer I'll be around, so I want to give this to you before it is too late," Grandpa said, turning to face Yamaguchi. "Now, put out your hand."

Yamaguchi did as he was told. With his hand out, Grandpa dumped the content of the bag into his palm. A blue gem tumbled out of the bag, which Yamaguchi immediately recognized as a Waterium Z. The blue gem glinted in his eyes as Yamaguchi took it in close for examination.

"That Waterium Z was one of the first Z crystals I won back in the day when I did my island trials. I even went to Kalos with it and worked my way through the league. Those days really were the best in my life. I learned so much about myself and what it was I truly wanted," Grandpa explained as he gazed at the crystal.

"Grandpa I can't-" Yamaguchi began, unsure if he could accept such a precious item from his grandfather.

"I want you to have it, Tadashi," Grandpa cut in before Yamaguchi could refuse. "Take this crystal and forge your own path with it. Promise me you'll go out into the world and learn about who you really are, create precious memories and stop living your life in regret."

"G-Grandpa I-" Yamaguchi had choked out upon hearing his grandfather's words. "I promise. I'll go out and try again," He had replied, shimmering tears in his eyes.

"I know you are going to shine like a star, Tadashi," Grandpa had said, giving Yamaguchi's messy hair a ruffle.

That was one of the last conversations Yamaguchi had ever had with his Grandfather, for a few days after the old man had passed away. Yamaguchi wished he were still around today to see just how far he had come. In just a few months out on his journey, Yamaguchi's confidence had increased to double what it formerly was.

"What are you thinking about?" Tsukishima grumbled, catching sight of Yamaguchi's wistful gaze upon the sea.

"Just home, I guess," Yamaguchi shrugged, not allowing himself to become too sentimental with the memory.

"Hm," Tsukishima replied. It was hard for Yamaguchi to read whether or not Tsukishima also thought of home when looking at the ocean.

"Where are we off to next?" Yamaguchi chirped, returning his focus to the journey at hand.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Tsukishima shrugged. "Isn't there a Showcase you want to join?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I saw something at the Pokemon Center about a pop-up showcase in a few days, and I was thinking about joining it," Yamaguchi shrugged.

"That's fine by me," Tsukishima cooly replied.

"You did great yesterday with your gym battle, by the way," Yamaguchi shyly praised.

"It wasn't anything special, just another easy win," Tsukishima mummbled.

"You were really great Tsukki," Yamaguchi insisted, holding a tired Eevee close. "I bet your next gym battle is going to be just as spectacular!"

Tsukishima gave a small shrug, his cheeks turning a little pink. "Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi laughed, none too sorry. "How about we stop for lunch soon? Eating by the coast sound just about right."

"Whatever," Tsukishima shrugged.

With that, the two trainers set up a small afternoon camp along the cliffside. They were situated far enough away to be safe, but close enough to still have an enjoyable view. Yamaguchi whipped up a quick batch of sandwiches and Pecha Berry juice, and the two sat on a small blanket as their Pokemon dug into their meals around them. Eevee munched away on a small bowl of softened Pokefood beside Yamaguchi.

"Is she already off the bottle?" Tsukishima asked, studying the small shiny Pokemon.

"She only gets milk in the morning now. Her teeth grew in faster than I expected." Yamaguchi sighed.

"They can't stay babies forever," Tsukishima shrugged. "It's good to see that she's weaning smoothly for you."

"She was fussy about it at first, but I knew once she tried my Pokefood she was hooked," Yamaguchi said in a babyish tone as he gave Eevee's back a stroke.

"Most Pokemon adore your Pokefood," Tsukishima mumbled as Salazzle made herself comfortable between Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

"The view kind of reminds you of home, huh?" Yamaguchi hummed as he gave Salazzle a gentle stroke of the head. The lizard gave a low hiss in agreement.

It wasn't long before both trainer and Pokemon were lounging about the area. Yamaguchi had wandered closer to the cliff's edge, wanting to get a better look at the crashing waves. He peered out over the water as a gentle salty mist kissed his cheeks. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply, enjoying the fresh smell of the ocean. The scent was different from Alola. The ocean in Kalos was much colder, and the salty air felt much thicker when he breathed it in.

From his pocket he pulled out he Waterium-Z he had inherited from his Grandfather. Things really had changed so much in such a short amount of time. As the blue crystal sparkled in the sunlight he wished more than anything to share his progress with his grandfather.

Yamaguchi was in such deep thought that the blow he received to his upper back almost sent him over the edge. Confused and slightly winded, Yamaguchi shoved the crystal back into his pocket before turning around to see who had hit him.

It all happened at once. Tsukki shouting his name, there were screams of shock from several of the Pokemon, and a blue and white blur landed a direct hit onto Yamaguchi's chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him stumbling back.

Yamaguchi coughed as the creature slammed him from the side once more, this time landing the fatal blow. Yamaguchi stumbled back, only to find that he had run out of land to stand on. His foot slipped off the cliff as the world around him began to turn upside down. It only took him a moment to realize he was falling.

Yamaguchi screamed in a panic as he flailed down the side of the cliff.

"Snivy, vine whip!" Yamaguchi heard Tsukishima shout.

Yamaguchi was halfway to the water when he felt Snivy's vines catch him around the middle, and the sudden force once again knocked the wind out of him. Yamauchi coughed several times in an attempt to catch his breath.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima shouted from the clifftop.

Yamaguchi looked up to see Tsukishima struggling to hold Snivy, who looked to be straining under Yamaguchi's weight.

"We have to pull him up!" Tsukishima groaned as he struggled to keep a hold on Snivy. Yamaguchi was much heavier than he looked.

With his wits a bit more about him, Yamaguchi positioned himself so he could attempt to scale the side of the cliff.

"While you pull I'll climb!" Yamaguchi shouted once he found his voice again.

Yamaguchi could see Tsukki release what looked to be a relieved sigh. "On three we'll pull and you climb," Tsukishima called down.

Yamaguchi gave an affirmative shout.

"One.. two… three!" Tsukishima called as he and Snivy gave a great pull.

Yamaguchi did his best to climb up the cliff as they did so. Several times over Tsukki would count to three and pull while Yamaguchi climbed, but the going was slow. The cliff's edge was sheer and hard for Yamaguchi to get a good hold on, and Yamaguchi was far too heavy for Snivy to handle.

"Again!" Tsukishima shouted as sweat dripped from his brow.

It was then that the thing that had attacked Yamaguchi had come back around for seconds. That was when Yamaguchi finally got a good look at it. It was a Pelipper, a very angry Pelipper, for where it sat perched was its nest. Yamaguchi held tight to the wall, bracing himself for impact with the giant bird.

"Ember!" Tsukishima commanded, and just in time, Salazzle sent a large angry flame towards the Pelipper, shielding Yamaguchi from the attack.

The angry Pelipper wasn't deterred from this as it made a U-turn, it's target set square on Yamaguchi's back.

"Snivy! We have to hurry," Tsukishima spoke, almost panicking as he held Snivy tight.

Snivy gave a frustrated grunt from her trainer's arms.

"Popplio and Frogadier, you use water gun, Salazzle and Bagon, use ember! We have to protect him!" Tsukishima commanded. "Now pull Snivy, we have to work fast!"

Without question, the four pokemon set their target on Pelipper.

Snivy gave a cry as the vines strained against Yamaguchi's weight. Riolu, Slurpuff, and Eevee all helped by latching onto the vines and pulling along with her.

Yamaguchi struggled to hold on as blasts of fire and water swirled around him in an attempt to keep the Pelipper at bay. He gave a loud gasp as his grasp slipped and he slid back down the cliffside. He swung like a ball at the end of a pendulum, almost back where he had started when originally caught.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima cried as he felt his friend slip further down the cliff.

Snivy gave a loud cry, refusing to give in. As she did, she began to glow in her trainer's arms. Tsukishima released a surprised gasp as Snivy began to evolve right before his eyes. The next thing Tsukishima knew, he was holding onto a Servine.

Servine gave a determined cry as she used all her strength to hoist Yamaguchi out of dangers way. Yamaguchi gave a squeaked in surprise as he moved up the mountain much quicker than before. All the while, the other Pokemon took turns shooting attack at the angry Pelipper.

The next thing Yamaguchi knew, he was being dragged from the edge of the cliff onto solid ground. His mind racing, he clung tight to Tsukki, shaking like a leaf in his friend arms.

"Are you okay?" Tsukishima asked as he checked over his best friend from head to toe.

Yamaguchi was shaken and bruised, but other than that he was mostly unharmed. The Pokemon circled around the two trainers, Salazzle dared the Pelipper to try and attack again. The large bird turned tail and took flight upon realizing that her target was much more protected.

"S-Sorry. I'm Sorry! I-I don't… I didn't s-see… I didn't k-know," Yamauchi stumbled over his words as he did his best to calm himself down.

"Hey, calm down. Everything is okay," Tsukishima said in a stern but soft voice. "You're safe now."

Yamaguchi took a deep breath as he looked up to find that he was practically in Tsukki's lap. It was warm and safe. He hadn't been this close to his best friend in a while, and he felt his cheeks go bright red as he stumbled back. His heart wasn't ready.

Tsukishima allowed Yamaguchi his space, shooting his friend a very concerned look.

"I- I'm fine!" Yamaguchi gasped as he tried to regain his composure.

"I think you're still quite shaken," Tsukishima grumbled before scooping Yamaguchi up into his arms like a bride. "We are going to camp at the picnic site for tonight. You need to rest," He flatly explained as he carried Yamaguchi back to where they had eaten lunch.

Yamaguchi only struggled for a moment before allowing himself to be carried. He leaned into Tsukishima chest, feigning exhaustion. His cheeks started to turn pink at the sound of his best friend beating heart. Its rhythmic beat helped calm him down.

Tsukishima gently placed Yamaguchi on to the picnic blanket instructing him to rest while he set up camp.

"But Tsukki, you must be tired too!" Yamaguchi had argued.

"I'm not the one who was hanging off a cliff like a yo-yo!" Tsukishima snapped. "Now rest!"

"Fine," Yamauchi pouted, far too tired to argue. Besides, it felt great being cared for by Tsukki.

It was only a few moment into his snoozing that it dawned on Yamaguchi. "Your Snivy evolved..." he mumbled as Servine passed by.

Servine stopped to calmly study Yamaguchi. He could tell just by her eyes that she still had her old attitude.

"Thank you Servine, for saving me," Yamaguchi hummed.

Servine gave a small huff of embarrassment. She never was the best at receiving affection.

"Didn't I tell you to rest!" Tsukishima snapped from where he stood building the tent.

"I am resting," Yamaguchi grumbled back like a child. Sometimes Tsukki could be so stubborn, but Yamaguchi had to admit that he felt all sort of joy being pampered by Tsukki. Tonight was definitely going to be one to enjoy.

Author Notes:

Where would Yamaguchi be without Tsukki. Clumsy boy needs to be more careful. And Tsukki needs to keep a closer eye on him. What will the two run into next? Will Yamaguchi's showcase go over well? Will he win another key or walk away a loser? Find out that and more in the next chapter!

Hey all, I hope you are all doing well. As always, thank you all so much for the kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I just love to hear back from you readers so please do let me know what you think of this chapter and the fic as a whole.

My schedule seems pretty solid at the moment so hopefully the regular uploads will keep coming. I don't see any big bumps in my future.

Well, that is all for now. See you all next chapter.


	36. Pop-Up Showcase

Hey everyone! It's good to see you here again. Who is ready for chapter 36. Let's see what kind of mess our boys will get in this time!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all be created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I don't have a particular song for this chapter unfortunately. I probably won't have one for every chapter. Maybe you can recommend your favorite Pokemon theme to me!

I choose you, chapter 36!

Pop-Up Showcase

Yamaguchi had to admit that he truly did enjoy traveling alongside Tsukki when it was just the two of them. Things were a lot quieter, but at the same time very comfortable. It didn't take them long to fall back into their old routine before Kanoka had tagged along. While Tsukki spent his time training his team, Yamaguchi would study for the next Showcase or work on improving Eevee's attitude towards Riolu.

As the two traveled along the cliff coastline the days passed by much quicker than Yamaguchi would like to admit. Before he knew it, they'd arrived at the location where the next showcase was due to be held. The particular showcase he'd be entering was much smaller than the last he had participated in, and it was to take place in a large portable tent. While it was still going to be broadcasted like any other showcase, Yamaguchi had a feeling not as many people would be tuned in.

He made a quick beeline for the check-in tent, which was located just outside the large performing tent. Tsukki followed after, quietly observing their surroundings as they did so. There were a lot fewer people, and it looked as if most people attending had arrived just that day.

"Hello sir," a kind lady greeted as they entered the tent. "Are you here to purchase seat tickets or sign up to perform?"

"I'm here to perform," Yamaguchi replied, pulling out his Pokedex so he could flash his ID at the lady.

"Let me see that for a moment," the lady hummed as she plucked the dex from Yamaguchi's hand. She did a few things on her end of the counter before handing the dex back to Yamaguchi. "You have been entered into the showcase! It is due to take place later today. Please be back here an hour before the showcase is due to start, and as we do not have a dressing room provided at the venue, please come dressed and ready to perform."

Yamaguchi gave a nod of understanding as he took his Pokedex back from the lady. He warmly thanked the worman, then bid her goodbye as he and Tsukki made their way back to their campsite.

"This is nothing like the contest in Camphrier Town," Yamaguchi laughed awkwardly as he sorted himself out at the campsite.

"I suppose not all contests can be as flashy as that one," Tsukishima said, taking a seat by the extinguished campfire. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess," Yamaguchi awkwardly shrugged. "It's all just happening so fast."

Tsukishima gave a knowing 'hm' as he examined Yamaguchi from across the campsite.

Yamaguchi did feel quite numb to the situation. He had a lot less time to prepare for this showcase. In fact, he'd only heard about it from Noya a few days ago. Noya had advised he join as many showcases as he could if he planned on collecting the five keys he needed to join the Master Class competition and get a shot at becoming the Kalos King at the end of the year.

'If you don't play, you can't win!' Noya had advised Yamaguchi the morning they had bid their farewell, and those words echoed in his mind as he sorted out his suit.

A speck of worry settled in Yamaguchi's gut. He wasn't the type to just rush into something without preparation, but it seemed the nature of showcases was to keep going so as to not fall too far behind. There were only so many showcases in the year, and if Yamaguchi took too long preparing between each one he might lose his chance.

This particular showcase came on so fast he hadn't any time to even create a new routine, but Noya had told him not to sweat it. According to him, many contestants often use the same routine many times in a row and still win. Plus, Yamaguchi believed in the routine he and Popplio had created. He knew he could use it to win again. The only problem was making it past round one. Yamaguchi had no clue what round one was going to be. If he was lucky it would be another baking challenge.

"You've been sighing an awful lot," Tsukishima mumbled from where he sat.

Yamaguchi released a loud 'Ack' as Tsukki's voice shook away his worries.

"S-sorry," Yamaguchi apologized. "I guess I'm just overthinking again."

Tsukishima released a small calm 'hum' as he examined Yamaguchi over his tablet. "Well, there isn't much more we can do now so it's best to just relax."

"Yeah, I know," Yamaguchi laughed. He knew Tsukki was doing his best to comfort him, but he just couldn't help that he was a worrier.

With another small sigh, Yamaguchi returned to preparations. As he did so, he thought of a strategy for round one. He highly doubted there would be any sort of baking competition happening at such a makeshift venue. He considered a fashion show, or perhaps it would be trivia or agility. He just didn't know what to do.

Before long it was time for him to make his way back to the Performance tent. At the entrance, he bit Tsukishima a very nervous farewell as he handed Eevee off.

"What happens, happens. Just go out there and do what you can," Tsukishima said as he took Eevee into his arms. Eevee gave a small pout as she looked to Yamaguchi, most likely not wanting to be separated from him.

"Right, I guess that's all I can do now," Yamaguchi anxiously shrugged as he gave Eevee one last pat on the head.

With that, the two trainers parted ways. Yamaguchi's stomach did a multitude of flips with each step he took, and he felt the overwhelming need to vomit. It took all he had not to spew his guts everywhere. He had to keep it together. For the sake of his team and his dignity, he was not going to allow himself to nerious-vomit all over the waiting room floor.

Yamaguchi's stomach did another fearful flip as it suddenly occurred to him that Tendō could very well be in this competition as well. He was not in the right mindset to face that crazy guy, and he would definitely lose it if Tendō were to pin him to a wall again, just like he did last time they met. He quickly scanned the room, and to his joy, he didn't recognize a single person in the waiting room.

There were only about half of the number of contestants as last time, but just as last time many of the contestants looked as nervous as he felt while several others looked quite ready. Yamaguchi shuffled through the waiting room and took an open seat next to a short trainer with light brown hair and brown eyes. The other trainer seemed to be in deep thought and didn't take any mind when Yamaguchi sat down.

Yamaguchi took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. He was already this far, so there was no turning back. Everything was going to be okay. Besides, even if he didn't win the key it didn't matter. He would have so many more chances to win a key, so no need to worry over it!

"Hey, I know you!" the trainer next to Yamaguchi gasped. "You won the Camphrier Showcase! You're Yamaguchi, right? Noya told me all about you."

Yamaguchi nearly jumped out of his skin as he looked to the shorter trainer next to him. He stumbled over his words unable to get his thoughts together from his shock.

"Sorry if I spooked ya," the trainer smiled brightly. "The name's Yaku. Noya and I caught the Camphrier Showcase on TV, and he talked all about how he was your mentor." Yaku sent Yamaguchi a very bright smile.

"H-hello, I'm Yamaguchi," Yamaguchi replied awkwardly, still taken aback by how forward Yaku was.

"Hey, you seem kind of shaky, are you okay?" Yaku asked. Yamaguchi noticed immediately that Yaku was much more controlled than Noya was. Perhaps a bit more mature.

"I guess I'm just a bit nervous," Yamaguchi said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, those first few showcases can be the worst," Yaku laughed from beside him. "You'll get used to it eventually."

"Hopefully sooner than later," Yamaguchi sighed. He had a feeling he'd never be as chill as Yaku was now.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you," Yaku carried on in an upbeat manner. "Your performance at Camphrier was really stunning. I couldn't believe it was your first Showcase."

"Oh, um thank you," Yamaguchi replied with a deep blush. "It wasn't anything amazing or something like that," he mumbled, unsure how to take a compliment.

"Hey, it was obvious that you and your Pokemon worked hard for that win, so no talking down about yourself or your Pokemon!" Yaku scolded, kind of like a mother, Yamaguchi noted.

"S-Sorry!" Yamaguchi quickly apologized, feeling a bit guilty for having not thought of Popplio's and Swirlix hard work. "I guess we did train quite a bit leading up to that Showcase."

"That's more like it," Yaku praised, giving Yamaguchi's back a strong pat. "We performers have to keep our heads up, even when we are feeling nervous."

"Right, head up!" Yamaguchi nodded, doing his best to smile with confidence.

"Much better," Yaku smiled in approval.

It was then that Takeda entered the small waiting room. Yamaguchi couldn't believe his eyes seeing Takeda yet again. Did this guy announce for all the showcases or something?

Takeda took no time separating the trainers into three groups of five, and Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a crazy flip as he was sorted into the very first group to go up. This meant he wasn't going to have as much time to prepare for the first round!

"Today's first round is going to be game show style. Your Pokemon will race to one end of the stage and tag a target! Whoever gets there first will win their trainer a shot at answering a question. You will have 30 seconds to answer the question before it gets passed onto the next contestant. If you answer incorrectly, then the next contestant gets a shot at the question. Whoever has the most points at the end is the winner of the round and can move on," Takeda explained to the group.

Yamaguchi felt a shiver run down his spine. He was not very good at trivia questions, and it was what he had spent the least amount of time studying in the past week. He felt an overwhelming urge to kick himself. With that, Takeda exited to the stage to allow the contestants time to ready themselves for round one.

Yamaguchi sat back down into his seat. He released a long sigh, unsure of what to do to prepare. He looked around to see many others looking just as distraught as he was while other trainers skimmed through various books.

"Man, I hate trivia-based challenges! You never know what they are going to ask," Yaku sighed from beside Yamaguchi. "You just have to hope the others know less than you do."

"Tell me about it," Yamaguchi sighed. He was pretty sure the others wouldn't know less than he did.

"Trivia is always the trickiest, so don't let it get you down," Yaku hummed. "There is no way for us to know what exactly they are going to ask us so there isn't much we can do."

Yamaguchi gave a silent nod. He guessed today he would find out how many random facts he knew about random stuff.

Yamaguchi called out Riolu from her ball. She was the fastest of his team, and the one with the most dexterity. He had no doubt that she would knock out the racing aspect of the first challenge.

"You ready, girl?" Yamaguchi asked, giving her head a soft pat. Riolu gave a joyful bark as she leaned into his hand. She seemed more than thrilled to have been picked for the first round.

It wasn't long before the first round of contestants were gathered up and brought on stage. Yamaguchi held Riolu in his arms as he entered. With this contest being in a tent, the lighting was much less bright and he could see out into the crowd with no problem. Despite there being much fewer seats, every last one of them was filled. Yamaguchi felt his brow start to sweat at the many eyes looking at them. He scanned the sea of people and found Tsukki and Eevee sitting in the back center seats. The two made brief eye contact, causing Yamaguchi heart to do another flip. Tsukishima's gaze was stern but comforting in a way that both calmed Yamaguchi down and made him very excited.

Yamaguchi swiftly placed Riolu on the racing track. He whispered words of encouragement to her before making his way to his assigned pedestal. In no time at all the contestants Pokemon had been placed on the small track that stretched along the stage. Along with Riolu, there was a Treecko, a Buneary, an Aipom, and a Pichu.

Riolu seemed pumped to be amongst so many other Pokemon. She would give small excited jumps here and there as the other Pokemon behaved in just as exciting of a manner. Yamaguchi hoped that Riolu didn't get too distracted. This was her first time on stage and all.

"Our round one challenge is a Trivia relay!" Takeda announced to the crowd. He briefly went over the rules, just as he had done with the contestants in the waiting room.

Yamaguchi rolled his shoulders as he readied himself to answer whatever question went his way. Riolu readied herself on the track, her eyes zoning in on a button on the far end of the track she had to be the first to tag to win her trainer the first chance to answer the question.

A countdown srated, and as it hit zero a buzzer sounded and the Pokemon raced down the track. The Pichu fell behind quickly followed by the Buneary. Treecko, Aipom, and Riolu were neck and neck before Treecko also fell behind. Riolu gave a small grunt of determination as she pushed in front, almost slamming into the button at the end. She had done it! She had won Yamaguchi the first question.

"Great job, Riolu!" Yamaguchi praised from the stand. Riolu barked in joy.

"Yamaguchi, your question is... How many heads does an Exeggutor have?" Takeda asked.

Yamaguchi thought for a moment before the answer came to him. "They have three heads unless they are in Alola, then they have an extra head on the tail making it four heads," he confidently replied.

A chime sounded as Takeda sang "You are correct."

Yamaguchi felt a smile bloom on his lips. Perhaps this wasn't going to be so bad.

The next round involved the Pokemon racing over several hurdles and to Yamaguchi's dismay, Aipom was the first to the target. Aipoms trainer answered his question with ease.

The next race involved the Pokemon jumping through a number of rings as they raced down the track. It was close, but Riolu made it to the target just before Treecko did.

"Yamaguchi your second question, what is necessary for Snorunt to evolve into Froslass?" Takeda asked loud and clear.

Yamaguchi hesitated for a long moment. He knew Snorunt needed a stone to evolve but he didn't know what stone. His shoulders went stiff as he tried to recall what stone it was. "A Snorunt needs an Ice Stone to evolve," he answered, but his tone sounded more like a question.

A buzzer sounded indicating that his his answer was incorrect. "Sorry Yamaguchi, but it is not an Ice Stone that is needed to evolve a Snorunt in to a Froslass," Taketa said with a frown.

Yamaguchi felt his shoulders deflate as Takeda asked Treecko's rainer if she knew the answer.

"A Snorunt must first be female to evolve into Froslass and you use a Dawn Stone," She answered loudly.

Yamaguchi felt the need to kick himself. How could he have forgotten about the Dawn Stone! He made an effort to shake it off and keep focused. There was still a chance.

The next race involved the Pokemon jumping from platforms, and surprisingly Buneary was the first to make it to the target. The trainer correctly answered an easy question about Alolan Vulpix. After that the Pokemon had to serpentine around small flying objects and this time Aipom was the winner. It's trainer answered their question with ease, putting them in the lead. Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a crazy flip.

"Our net question will be our last unless the score gets tied up," Takeda announced.

Yamaguchi tried to calm his heart. He believed in Riolu. He knew she could do it.

This time the Pokemon had to swing from one end of the field to the next. Yamaguchi felt a wave of dread. This was Aipom's specialty.

"You can do it, Riolu!" Yamaguchi called from his pedestal. This seemed to super charge his Riolu as she swung like a bullet past Aipom. With determination in her red eyes she landed her paw on the target just before Aipom.

"Yes!" Yamaguchi shouted from where he stood. He really was blessed with amazing Pokemon.

"The next question is your's Yamaguchi," Takeda sang as he address Yamaguchi. He had a cheeky smile on his face. "What is necessary for a Riolu to evolve into a Lucario?"

Yamaguchi felt his heart do an excited flutter. He had a Riolu so he should know this one for sure. Yamaguchi's smile faded as his mind went blank. What did Riolu need to evolve again. He couldn't remember. Was it a stone? "It needs… It needs…" Yamaguchi stammered as all eyes were on him. He could hear whispers from all around "It needs…" Yamaguchi stammered as a buzzer sounded. The sound broke his heart.

"I'm sorry Yamaguchi, but you are out of time," Takeda frowned before addressing Aipom's trainer.

Yamaguchi looked to Riolu who shot him a very confused look. Yamaguchi had failed her. Riolu didn't understood what happened. She didn't understand why Yamauchi looked so upset.

"A Riolu will evolve during the day time if it has a close bond with its trainer," Aipom's trainer almost sang. The chime sounded and round one was over.

Yamaguchi felt his eyes wet as he scooped up Riolu into his arms and made his way back to the waiting room. How could he had been so stupid? He should have known that last question. Riolu shifted in his hold to nuzzle his neck, doing her best to comfort him.

"I'm so sorry Riolu," Yamaguchi whispered as a tear ran down his cheek. He thought he had grown past this childish crying.

He took his seat in the waiting room as he blankly watched the rest of the showcase from the provided television. His heart felt heavy as he watched the other group for round one start and finish. Yaku made it into round two with barely any bumps. He really was a much more experienced contestant than Yamaguchi was.

Three contestants were left for round two. With Riolu in his arms, Yamaguchi made his way to the stadium to properly watch the final round from the audience. The first contestant performed a spectacular dance with her Vaporeon. The second contestant, Aipom's trainer, did a funny little ditty with a Mime Jr. that even made Yamaguchi crack a smile.

Yaku was the last one up and performed alongside his Alolan Raichu. The two danced in unison as Raichu sent waves of telekinetic electricity around them and the room. Yaku's movements were precise and each one held meaning. He didn't waver even once. Yamaguchi's heavy heart lightened as he watched the more experienced performer show their stuff.

Yaku has probably been in so many contests and lost twice as many as he'd won, yet still performs so magnificently on stage. Noya, Sugawara, Kiyoko, they were all so experience and never gave in. They got where they were today through standing back up no matter what. Yamaguchi wondered if his weak self would also able to do the same. He released a thoughtful sigh as he pondered this. Riolu released a sad whimper at her trainer's downcast gaze.

"Don't worry. I'm fine," Yamaguchi whispered as he held her close. "You did a great job today by the way. Extra treats for your hard work."

At this Riolu released a happy yip that caught the attention of the people around them. Yamaguchi had to apologize sevrealtimes for the disturbance.

It wasn't a surprise that Yaku won the key to this competition. His routine blew the other two out of the water. Yamaguchi was happy for Yaku. He had only just met the trainer but could tell that he and his Alolan Raichu had practiced hard. Yamaguchi was just an infant in the showcase world. He had a long way to go if he wanted to be on the same level as Yaku and Noya.

Yamaguchi didn't know what to say when he reunited with Tsukki and Eevee. Eevee was none too happy to see Riolu in Yamaguchi's arms and practically tackled him in her attempt to reclaim her rightful spot. Unfortunately for her today she would have to share that spot with Riolu.

"Well, you can't win them all I guess," Yamaguchi said with a sheepish laugh. "Sorry I couldn't bring home another key."

"You did your best," Tsukishima replied.

Yamaguchi gave a solemn nod. Had he really done his best? He didn't know.

That night was far more quiet than normal, even for Tsukki. Yamaguchi was in deep thought over the loss. He felt conflicted. Unsure what to do next time to avoid this scenario. He should have been able to answer that question no problem.

Despite not much conversation passing between the two Tsukki stayed closer Yamaguchi than normal. His presence was calming for Yamaguchi. It helped pull him from the dark thoughts that plagued him so. Did Tsukki realize this? Is that why he stuck so close to Yamaguchi that evening? Yamaguchi didn't know but appreciated the gesture none the less. Being with Tsukki always eased his heart.

Author Notes:

Poor Yamaguchi. Our sweet boy has to swallow his first showcase loss. Will he get right back up or stay down for a while? What is he going to do to remedy the mistakes he made so as to not relive them? Why was Tsukki staying so close to him that night? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all! As always, thank you so much for your views, kudos, bookmarks and follows. I love to hear from my lovely readers so please do leave a comment or review if you have time. The best kind of writing fuel is feedback.

I don't have much to say with this chapter so that is all for now. See you next chapter.


	37. A Rock From the Heavens

Hey all! Here is chapter 37! I am so excited for you all to read this. Two new characters join the roster. I wonder who they are going to be! I know I love these two quite dearly.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all be created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

As for a song to go along with this chapter I feel like Rout 225 Day Theme goes great with one of the characters introduced in this chapter. It's a fast past strong song that sets the mood for the chapter as a whole. If you have time while reading this look it up and give it a listen.

I choose you, chapter 37!

A Rock From the Heavens

"Quiz style first rounds have always been the trickiest of all the first rounds you can face," Shimada hummed from the other side of the Pokemon Center's computer. "You never really know what they are going to ask, and there is only so much you can prepare."

"I know, but that last question," Yamaguchi groaned, his hands on his face. "I should have known it no problem!"

"Hey, don't kick yourself too much over it," Shimada kindly said. "Stage fright is bound to happen for new contestants, so you should just forget about it. It's great that you were even able to receive one point. Some people didn't even get that far."

Yamaguchi shifted in his seat for a moment as he considered Shimada's words. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he eventually agreed in a mumble.

"You're going to win some and you're going to lose some. It's part of the showcase gig," Shimada shrugged. "The best thing to do now is to try to figure out where you went wrong and practice, practice, practice!"

"I'll try not to dwell on it," Yamaguchi said with a soft smile. Obsessing over the loss would only hinder him and his team.

"That's what I like to hear," Shimada smiled brightly. "Get back out there and try for another showcase whenever you can. All Pokemon Centers have a list of upcoming showcases you can reference at any time so make sure to keep up to date with that."

"Right, I'll be sure to check up on it more often," Yamaguchi nodded. He really needed to get into the habit of checking in on the showcase schedule.

"So, where are you and Tsukishima off to next?" Shimada asked, relaxing a bit in his seat.

"It looks like we will be going to Shalour City so that Tsukki can try for his next gym badge," Yamaguchi replied, mirroring Shimada's posture and relaxing as well.

"I see," Shimada hummed in thought as he shifted once more. Yamaguchi could hear him typing on his computer. "Just as I thought!" he cheered as he looked right into the camera. "There should be a showcase in about a week or so. It's going to be held in Geosenge Town. It's on the way to Shalour City, so you can hit that showcase on your way to the gym."

"Oh, is that so?" Yamaguchi nervously replied. He sat up a bit. Was he ready for another showcase so soon?

"There is no point in waiting, Yamaguchi," Shimada almost scolded. "There are only a handful of showcases in a year, so you need to try as many as you can before the Master Class Showcase Tournament begins."

"Yeah, I know," Yamaguchi mumbled. He was well aware that, unlike gyms, showcases were on a fixed schedule and there were only so many chances a trainer had at obtaining a key.

"Listen, Yamaguchi, I will send over some study materials for you to look over if that makes you feel better," Shimada said, speaking a bit softer now. "I also have a book on helping with stage fright. Give it a read when you have a chance."

"Thanks, that would be great," Yamaguchi replied with a small smile. He really had no clue what to do about his stage fright, and he was reminded of how lucky he was to have Shimada as a mentor.

"I'll send the materials on over tonight, and you should have them by tomorrow morning," Shimada carried on with a kind smile.

"Thank you so much," Yamaguchi said with a small bow of his head. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Shimada."

"Don't thank me, Yamaguchi. You're a great trainer with a lot of talent for the stage," Shimada pridefully said. "You just need a bit more practice and you'll be a natural in no time."

"Thanks," Yamaguchi replied with a small meek blush.

"Now, you go get some rest tonight. It's just as important to rest after a loss as it is after a win," Shimada demanded like a doting mother.

"Yes, sir," Yamaguchi dutifully replied.

"Goodnight, Yamaguchi," Shimada softly hummed.

"Goodnight, Shimada," Yamaguchi gently replied.

With that, the two hung up.

Yamaguchi took a deep breath before getting up from where he sat. Talking with Shimada about his loss wasn't as scary as he thought it would be. With his thoughts together, Tadashi made his way out of the Pokemon center and back to the campsite he and Tsukki had pitched the night before. With the popup showcase being held earlier that day there were no more rooms left at the Pokemon Center hostel so the two opted for a good old fashioned campsite.

Once back at the campsite Yamaguchi was brightly greeted by both Eevee and Riolu. Eevee had come to terms a bit more with Riolu as part of the team now. She still pouted whenever Riolu got more attention from Yamaguchi, but she hadn't attacked or growled at Riolu since the incident with the cobbler.

Yamaguchi picked Eevee and Riolu up into a warm hug. Salazzle snaked her way around him in warm greeting as he did so.

"It's good to see you all, too," Yamaguchi greeted as he made his way over to where Tsukki at by the blazing campfire.

"How'd it go?" Tsukishima asked as Yamaguchi took a seat next to him.

"Better than I thought, I guess," Yamaguchi shrugged as he shifted Riolu and Eevee into his lap. Salazzle wedged her way between Yamaguchi and Tsukki, cozying up to both of them.

"Get any good advice?" Tsukishima followed up, placing the book he had been reading in his lap.

"He is going to send me a bit of reading," Yamaguchi replied. His shoulders slumped as he allowed himself to relax a bit.

"Well, that's good," Tsukishima calmly hummed.

"There's also going to be another showcase in Geosenge Town in about a week," Yamaguchi sighed, feeling his stomach do a bit of a flip at the idea of joining another showcase so soon after his loss.

"That's on the way to Shalour City," Tsukishima replied. He was much better with geography than Yamaguchi was. "Are you going to join it?" he asked, glancing over at his best friend.

"I suppose, if you don't mind the detour," Yamaguchi shrugged. He wished he could be more pumped about it.

Tsukishima simply replied with an "I don't mind".

A moment of silence hung between the two. The spring nights weren't as frigid anymore, so staying up and enjoying the silent darkness was something the two did a lot more often. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel grateful for nights like this. No matter what happened and no matter how mopy Yamaguchi got, Tsukki was always there for him.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi hummed after a long moment. He really didn't deserve such a wonderful best friend.

The next morning came on quickly. After breakfast, the two trainers packed up their camp and made their way back from where they had come. While the walk to Geosenge Town was only a few days away, Yamaguchi had learned that sometimes one encounters bump along the trail.

This particular spring day was bright and warm. It carried a comfortable salty sea breeze that helped Yamaguchi freshen his mind after his loss yesterday. As they walked along the rocky coast Yamaguchi made sure to keep a healthy distance between himself and the cliff he had almost fallen from before. Apparently, it was nesting season for the Pelliper and, as he learned first hand, they can become quite aggressive if they feel their nest is threatened.

Around late noon the two trainers decided to pitch camp for the day. Their campsite was a ways from the trail, but they could still see out over the ocean well enough. Yamaguchi quickly whipped together several rice balls before settling down to eat and read the book from Shimada on common showcase trivia.

If Yamaguchi was being honest, the book was one of the most boring books Shimada had given him to study from. It was full of random Pokemon facts that only made Yamaguchi feel sleepy. Though he gave it his best, Yamaguchi couldn't help but fall into a snooze while reading the book.

"Look out!" A shout sounded from somewhere beyond the tree line.

Yamaguchi shot up from his snooze. His book and Eevee flew in opposite directions as Yamaguchi caught sight of a large rock heading right for Eevee. With speed he didn't know he had, Yamaguchi scooped Eevee into his arms and rolled away, narrowly missed being struck by the rock. He sat curled around Eevee for a long moment, unsure if it was safe.

"What the fuck?" Tsukishima spat as he stood up. He had been reading from his tablet and was just as shocked as Yamaguchi was.

"Hey! Are you okay?" The same voice from before sounded from behind a bush.

Yamaguchi cracked an eye open and sat up as the owner of the voice emerged from the bush. It was an older trainer with spiky gray hair and round yellow eyes. He had a large smile on his face despite having almost commited murder via rock. Beside the trainer was a very strong looking Hawlucha.

Before either Yamaguchi or Tsukishima could answer, a second trainer emerged from the very same bush. He had darker hair and an almost serene aura about him. He sent a very disapproving look to his friend.

"Bokuto, I told you we were far too close to the trail for this sort of training," the dark-haired trainer scolded.

"Calm down, Akaashi. It doesn't look like anyone here is hurt!" Bokuto shrugged with a cheeky smile.

"Really?" Akaashi grumbled, unconvinced. His eyes shot to the large rock that was only inches away from where Yamaguchi's head had just been. He then looked to Yamaguchi who still sat stunned on the spot. His brow furrowed in concern as he took in the sight of the two campers.

Before Yamaguchi could speak a word Tsukishima stepped forward. "Were you the ones who chucked this rock at us? You almost took out Yamaguchi's head," He snapped, his eyes leering at Bokuto.

"Hey, he looks fine," Bokuto shrugged as he walked further into their camp. "No one was hurt, right kid?" He asked, looking to Yamaguchi.

Tsukishima released a small grumbled as he scowled at the carefree Bokuto.

"I-I'm fine," Yamaguchi sputtered as he stood up. He was a bit unsure if he should react with more anger or not.

"Well, we are both very sorry for this… situation," Akaashi apologized once more. "My name is Akaashi, and this here is Bokuto," He introduced, also walking further into the campsite.

"I'm Yamaguchi," Yamaguchi politely replied. He looked to Tsukki only to find his friend still scowling. "This here is Tsukishima," he said, deciding to introduce his friend since Tsukki didn't look like he was going to do it himself.

"It's nice to meet you both, Yamaguchi, Tsukishima!" Bokuto hooted as he took both their hands and shook them far too vigorously.

"Bokuto! That's too rough," Akaashi warned as he shook his head in disappointment.

"Don't touch me!" Tsukishima growled at the same time, ripping his hand from Bokuto's clutches.

"N-Nice to m-meet you, too," Yamaguchi replied as his arm was almost yanked from it's socket.

"So what are two young trainers such as yourself doing out on the road like this?" Bokuto asked. As he spoke be proudly puffed his chest out. Yamaguchi had never met anyone who carried quite this much confidence. Was this guy a Showcase contestant?

"Young trainers?" Tsukishima snapped. "We can't be much younger than you are!" Tsukishima's snappy comebacks didn't seem to bother either Bokuto or Akaashi. The latter of which currently looked as if he was just as put off by Bokuto as Tsukki was.

"We are heading up towards Geosenge Town and Shalour City," Yamaguchi replied as he scooped a very needy Eevee into his arms.

"But that's really none of your business," Tsukishima quickly added.

"Ah! Shalour City? Are you going for a gym battle?" Bokuto hooted in excitement. "Korrina is one tough cookie! She's got a mega stone you know."

Yamaguchi couldn't help but gasp. Mega stones were rare, and they apparently supercharged a Pokemon for a duration of time. Were gym leaders even allowed to use them against normal trainers such as Tsukki?

"What does it matter to you why we are going there?" Tsukishima replied stubbornly.

"You'll have to excuse Bokuto. He really can't pick up on social cues," Akaashi apologized.

"Hey! I got an idea," Bokuto barked, talking over Akaashi. "I can help you train for your next gym battle!"

Both Tsukki and Yamaguchi looked to the older trainer in shock. This guy was a complete stranger, but was offering to help just like that? All the while Akaashi placed his hand firmly onto the center of his forehead.

"And why would you do that?" Tsukishima asked in suspicion.

"Think of it as an apology for almost killing your friend here," Bokuto replied as he gave Yamaguchi back a very hard pat.

Yamaguchi stumbled from the sudden impact. Tsukishima's eyes narrowed.

"Thanks, but I don't need help training," Tsukishima growled.

"Aw, come on! I have a lot of knowledge, you know," Bokuto pushed, getting dangerously close to Tsukishima.

"No!" Tsukishima replied sharply, taking a step back.

"How about you?" Bokuto asked, switching his attention to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi jumped back a bit at the sudden closeness. "Sorry, I won't be battling at the gym. I am a showcase contestant," he nervously replied as he leaned away from Bokuto.

Just then Bokuto was pulled back by Akaashi. "Calm down, Bokuto," he scolded. "They aren't interested in your training help."

"Aw, come on. I have to repay them for almost killing them somehow," Bokuto whined.

"When people say no, Bokuto, we respect that," Akaashi replied in a calm but stern tone.

"Yeah, I know," Bokuto deflated.

Yamaguchi felt a tinge of guilt settle in his stomach at the older trainers disappointment. Tsukishima took notice of the guilt and sent Yamaguchi a 'please no' scowl that went unnoticed by Yamaguchi.

"Well, if you really want to help us with something," Yamaguchi started slowly. This caught Bokuto's attention. "We are running low on berries…"

"Yamaguchi," Tsukishima hissed.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi quietly replied.

"You need berries? I'm your man!" Bokuto perked up. "I know where all the berry trees are in this whole forest!"

"I'm sure you do," Tsukishima sarcastically mumbled quietly to himself.

"Bokuto, calm down," Akaashi scolded once more, this time it came out as more of a sigh.

The next thing Yamaguchi knew he was being led into the forest by Bokuto. "I know just the best place for berry picking right this way," He enthusiastically explained.

Yamaguchi stumbled after the older trainer as he did his best not to drop Eevee. He felt confused and dizzy as Bokuto dragged him further from camp. Everything was happening so fast. This Bokuto worked on a level Yamaguchi couldn't keep up with.

"Hey!" Yamaguchi could hear Tsukishima bark from somewhere behind them.

"Bokuto, don't go dragging people around like that!" Akaashi scolded as he followed after them.

Everything passed in a blur and the next thing Yamaguchi knew they had stopped in a small clearing full of berry trees.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Bokuto cheered as he held his hands up for dramatic effect. "Told you I knew where the berries grew around here."

Though his head was still spinning a bit, Yamaguchi looked around to see a large variety of berry trees and all were fruiting. "Wow, there are so many," he gasped.

"I know," Bokutoi proudly replied. "That's why I'm the best berry hunter in all of Kalos."

"It's not that impressive," Tsukishima scowled from beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi gave a startled jump. He hadn't noticed Tsukishima appearance.

"No need to be jealous, Glasses," Bokuto laughed. He didn't seem phased by Tsukki's attitude.

"Bokuto, you really need to not kidnap strangers," Akaashi sighed as he came up on the other side of Yamaguchi.

"It wasn't a kidnapping, right Yamaguchi?" Bokuto replied as he gave Yamaguchi shoulder a sturdy pat.

"Y-Yeah," Yamaguchi replied as he tried to ignore the throbbing in his shoulder.

Bokuto gave an approving grin before turning towards the berry trees. "Now let's get to picking!" as Bokuto spoke his Hawlucha gave an equally as enthusiastic cheer.

Yamaguchi and Akaashi joined Bokuto in the picking festivities while Tsukishima opted to scowl from the sidelines. It was only after Yamaguchi asked him to help him carry berries that Tsukishima came around, sort of.

Bokuto was a funny guy with a lot to say. All the while picking berries Bokuto would talk on and on about this and that. Yamaguchi didn't very much mind it, but Tsukki was obviously annoyed. Several times Akaashi had to remind Bokuto not to get too excited. Yamagchi couldn't tell if Bokuto simply couldn't picking up on Tsukki's annoyed body language or if he just didn't care. The man was far too erratic for Yamaguchi to get a read on.

Unfortunately for Tsukishima, when the picking was done, Bokuto and Akaashi followed them back to their campsite. They had picked themselves far too many berries for Tsukishima and Yamaguchi to carry on their own so they helped the two carry their spoils back to the campsite. Yamaguchi had then invited them to stay for dinner for their troubles. It just felt like the polite thing to do.

"Wow, kid!" Bokuto sang as he took a bit of Yamaguchi's fresh stew. "This is some of the best food I've ever eaten! You need to learn how to cook like this, Akaashi!"

Yamaguchi felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him as Akaashi scowled at Bokuto. Bokuto didn't seem too much like the type to think before he speaks.

"It really is quite good, Yamaguchi," Akaashi genuinely agreed once he was done scowling at Bokuto.

"Thanks," Yamaguchi blushed. "I've had a lot of cooking practice since starting this journey."

"So did you two start your journey recently?" Akaashi asked.

"Yeah, about two months ago," Yamaguchi replied.

"Have you always been doing showcases then?" Akaashi followed up.

"No, I only just started after arriving here. We don't have showcases in Alola," Yamaguchi explained. He felt a bit shy to talk about how new he was to showcases.

"Wow! Alola is such a great place," Bokuto cut in. "I don't know why anyone would ever leave a tropical paradise for anywhere else."

Yamaguchi could tell Tsukki was going to make a nasty comeback but held his tongue.

"So, are you two here for the league?" Yamaguchi asked, wanting to change the subject. "How many badges do you have?"

"Nah, Akaashi and I aren't collecting badges," Bokuto said with a shake of his head. "We were just out here for a bit of training between work and stuff."

"Work?" Yamaguchi asked, a bit surprised by Bokuto's answer. It wasn't every day you met working people just on the trail like this. "What do you do for work? Are you a gym leader?"

"Well, you see-" Bokuto began proudly before a ringing sounded from his pocket. He paused for a moment before releasing a long sigh. "Aw man!"

"I told you we were away for too long," Akaashi sighed as he sent Bokuto a look.

"Sorry guys but we gotta go," Bokuto shrugged as he stood up.

"So soon?" Yamaguchi couldn't help but ask. They had only just finished dinner. They hadn't even touched the berry cobbler he had made.

"Too bad," Tsukishima quietly chimed in. He didn't sound terribly disapointed.

"Yeah, business calls," Bokuto sighed.

"This late?" Tsukishima asked with a sceptical look.

"Hey, I'm a busy guy," Bokuto shrugged. "The meal was amazing by the way," he added, addressing Yamauchi. "And sorry for almost killing you."

"It's not a problem," Yamaguchi replied, winning himself a scowl from Tsukki. "Do you want to take some cobbler for the road?"

"Heck yes!" Bokuto cheered.

"You're really spoiling us," Akaashi added. "And here we are trying to apologize for almost maiming you."

"No, there is too much here for us to eat on our own anyways," Yamaguchi brushed off. He couldn't help but feed people. It came with being a baker's son.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi had packed them up some cobbler and he and Tsukki were sending their two new friends on their way.

"Hey, the next time we meet I will pay you both back properly," Bokuto insisted.

"You really don't have to do that," Tsukishima mumbled.

"I will," Bokuto shot back, more serious.

"Thank you both for your hospitality," Akaashi thanked, more to Yamaguchi than to Tsukashima.

"Not a problem at all," Yamaguchi insisted. "You two travel safely. It's a bit late."

"I ain't afraid of the dark," Bokuto replied proudly. "I'm sure we'll see you two around again very soon."

With that Bokuto and Akaashi made their way out of the campsite and down the dark path. Trainers normally didn't travel so late at night. Yamaguchi couldn't help but wonder if the two would be okay.

"What a strange duo," Yamaguchi found himself saying once Akaashi and Bokuto had disappeared into the night.

"Tell me about it," Tsukishima scoffed, obviously happy to see the two off.

It was then that Yamaguchi realized they never found out what it was that Bokuto and Akaashi did.

Author Notes:

Well now, we finally got to meet our good friends Bokuto and Akaashi. It was about time they showed up. I wonder what it is Bokuto and Akaashi do in the wonderful world of Pokemon? Will Yamaguchi and Tsukishima ever cross paths with them again? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Well now, that was quite a fun chapter to write and I have been excited to debut these two into this fic for a while now. I love Bokuto and Akaashi so much. I hope you guys enjoyed their addition to the story thus far. As always I will be updating the fic every week so keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter. The next few chapters are honestly ones I have been wanting to post for a while. They introduce more of a long running plot so I hope you guys are ready. It's also going to be a three part mini arc thing so yeah.

As always, thank you all so much for the wonderful feedback. The bookmarks, follows and kudos are always a nice thing to see in the middle of the week when life and work takes it toll on me. I also love to hear your feedback and reactions to chapters and the story as a whole so do leave a comment or Review down below.

That is all for now, my dear readers. I shall see you next chapter.


	38. Meteorite: Part 1

Hey all! So here it is. Chapter 38. I have been so excited to post this chapter for over a month now. I really hope you enjoy it! I hope it will be a good three parter for you all. I wonder what could possibly happen!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all be created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Meteorite: Part 1

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima walked in mild peace along the path that led them towards Geosenge Town. They had since left the path that bordered the coast and now found themselves once again in a forest. Yamaguchi knew that this particular forest wasn't too far from the coast, for one could still smell the salty sea breeze of the nearby ocean. If the two carried on as they were they'd make it to Geosenge Town by the next day.

On this particular day, Tsukishima had insisted that Yamaguchi lead the way. Yamaguchi had babbled on and on about how it wasn't a good idea, only for Tsukki to ignore him.

"You'll never get better at finding your way if you don't practice," Tsukishima had said that morning.

Yamaguchi couldn't argue with his best friend. After all, he was correct. It wasn't fair to anyone else if Yamaguchi relied on his Pokemon team and Tsukki to get him around for the rest of his life. With that being said, he had begrudgingly taken the lead.

Yamaguchi led the way with the map the two had been using to get around the region thus far. Tsukishima held Eevee in his arms as he followed a step or two behind Yamaguchi. Not only would this exercise give Yamaguchi practice reading a map but Eevee practice being away from he beloved trainer's hold.

If Yamaguchi was being honest, he was only half sure he knew where they were on the map. He assumed they mustn't be too lost, for Tsukki didn't seem bothered. Yamaguchi hoped that Tsukki would say something if he seriously leads them astray.

"I hope we didn't need to turn back there," Yamaguchi nervously commented as he looked at the map. He glanced back to see Tsukki give a small shrug. "Yeah, it probably doesn't matter," Hei carried on with an anxious laugh. They had just passed a fork in the road not too long ago. From what he could tell, that path and the one they were on should eventually meet back up.

Silence hung between the two as they carried on walking. Yamaguchi's full focus was on the small map. They were bound to come upon other forks in the road, and he wanted to be ready to know what way they needed to go.

They were passing a small clearing when it happened. A large figure jumped from a bush and blocked their path.

"You shouldn't be here!" The figure roared causing Yamaguchi to release a loud 'eep' as he jumped back into Tsukki.

Shaking from head to toe Yamaguchi looked up to see that the figure was a Trainer. He had short black hair and horrifyingly sharp eyes that stared daggers at both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima. The trainer wore a white lab coat over a blue T-shirt and black jeans. Dirt smudged his clothes, giving the impression that he had possibly been digging not too long ago.

"And why is that?" Tsukishima replied as he bravely pushed past Yamaguchi.

"This area is off-limits to travelers," the dark haired trainer spat back. "What are you doing here?"

"We're just passing through to get to Geosenge Town," Tsukishima replied, not sounding sorry or the least bit afraid. "Besides, it wasn't marked on the map or on the path that this area is off limits."

All the while Yamaguchi peeked out from behind Tsukki nodding his head furiously in agreement. He did his best to look brave, but had a feeling it wasn't coming across as so.

The stranger scowled at Tsukishima. He looked as if he didn't believe their story.

"You two are going to have to come with me," The trainer eventually grumbled.

Yamaguchi felt his heart stop. What had they walked in on? Was this place really off limits?

"Why should we?" Tsukishima retorted stubbornly.

"Officer Jenny is on sight and I can call her if you two decide to give me any trouble," The dark hair trainer spat back.

"O-Officer J-J-Jenny!?" Yamaguchi yelped. Were they going to be arrested?

"Whatever," Tsukishima mumbled, giving in to the other trainer's demands.

"This way!" The dark-haired trainer said, motioning for them to follow.

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki before making a move. It was only after Tsukki followed after the stranger that Yamaguchi moved as well. He could feel his heart about to burst from his chest. He never should have been put in charge of navigation. Now he and Tsukki were going to be arrested for trespassing.

It didn't take them long before the stranger brought them to what looked to be a small excavation site. Was this trainer an archaeologist? Was this dig site why the area was closed off? The dig site wasn't terribly big and from the looks of it, all they had dug up was a large black rock.

"Iwa-chan, you're back!" Oikawa sang as he approached the three.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but jump back as he released a loud gasp. What was Oikawa doing here?

"Oh, I see you found some trespassers," Oikawa giggled evilly as he looked upon Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi unconsciously hid behind Tsukki. He didn't like the way Oikawa's sharp eyes examined them both.

"Shut up, Oikawa," the dark hair trainer, Iwa, shot back. "Where is Officer Jenny? These two need questioning."

"Oh my, so they really are convicts?" Oikawa gasped in feigned horror.

Iwa shot Oikawa a sharp look, not bothering to answer his question.

"Iwa-chan is no fun," Oikawa pouted like a child. "She is over at the tents," he said as he begrudgingly pointed towards a few large tents.

Iwa motioned for the two to follow after him as he led them to the tents.

"Be careful, Iwa. These two look super dangerous," Oikawa called after in a mocking tone.

Yamaguchi felt his heart almost stop as they entered the tent. Officer Jenny was currently talking with none other than Professor Sycamore. Upon seeing the Professor Yamaguchi felt his heart leap with joy. Perhaps they weren't in as much trouble as he expected.

Iwa cleared his throat then spoke up, "Sorry to bother you both."

Both Officer Jenny and Professor Sycamore stopped their current conversation to look at the newcomers.

"Iwaizumi, you're back already?" Professor Sycamore greeted with a large smile.

"Yes, Professor," Iwaizumi replied stiffly. "When I was searching the perimeters I came across these two here," he explained, stepping back to reveal Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

It seemed to take Professor Sycamore a long moment to recognize them both, but his eyes lit up as he recalled who the two were.

"Yamaguchi and Tsukishima from Alola, correct?" Professor Sycamore casually asked. "What brings you two to this neck of the woods?"

"The roads near here should have been blocked off," Officer Jenny added on, clearly suspicious.

"We had no clue it was blocked off," Yamaguchi replied in a desperate plea. "Honestly, we are just on our way to Geosenge Town for the Showcase that will be held there. We never meant to trespass on anything," Yamaguchi carried on, his desperation to prove their innocence very apparent.

"I'd like to believe you two but the path was blocked off just this morning," Jenny replied, her eyes still full of suspicion. "What's not stopping you two from lying to us?"

"We aren't! I swear!" Yamaguchi cried again. This won him a very annoyed look from Tsukki.

"Sorry, but we can't just take your word for it," Officer Jenny said with a shake of her head. "We have reason to believe that some people with very bad intentions are after what we are researching here."

If Yamaguchi wasn't so afraid of being tossed in jail he'd be interested to find out what it was they were researching.

"Please don't throw us in jail!" Yamaguchi begged. Tsukki released a small 'tch' from beside him for his lack of tact.

Yamaguchi's outburst seemed to catch Officer Jenny, Professor Sycamore, and Iwaizumi all off guard.

"Jail?" Iwaizumi echoed in confusion.

"No one here is going to jail," Professor Sycamore laughed, and Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go bright red with embarrassment.

"But this doesn't mean you two are free to go!" Officer Jenny cut in. "This research is very sensitive, so until we are 100% certain that you two are innocent you are not leaving this research site."

"Officer Jenny, I can assure you that these two are not here to steal the meteorite," Professor Sycamore insisted.

"You can't say that for sure, Professor Sycamore," Officer Jenny retorted. "And until we are sure of it, they are to stay here.

Professor Sycamore gave a small sigh before he looked to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima with a small shrug.

"We will be packing up tomorrow anyways, so I hope you two didn't have anywhere you needed to be today," Professor Sycamore sighed.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but sigh in response. They were probably still close enough to get to Geosenge Town by tomorrow night if he had been reading the map correctly.

"Well, if you two are going to be here until we pack up tomorrow, we may as well make you useful," Iwaizumi cut in. "We could use some more manpower getting that meteorite out of the ground."

The mention of the meteorite piqued Yamaguchi's interest once more. At least they had something interesting to do for the day, though he should have been focusing on his next showcase.

Iwaizumi led the two out of the tent and back to the large rock that was sticking half out of the ground. The large space rock looked to be about the size of a watermelon.

"What're your names?" Iwaizumi demanded as he handed the two a shovel each.

"Tsukishima," Tsukishima grumbled in reply as he took the digging tool. Though Tsukki gave off an annoyed tone, Yamaguchi could see a spark of interest in his golden eyes as Tsukki looked at the meteorite.

"Y-Yamaguchi T-Tadashi," Yamaguchi said as he took his digging tools from Iwaizumi.

"You two can call me Iwaizumi," Iwaizumi gruffly replied before turning to the rock.

"Welcome back, Iwa-chan," Oikawa sand as the three approached the meteorite. Oikawa still hung by the meteorite with digging tools of his own but it didn't look like he had made any effort to help. Iwaizumi sent the beautiful man a sharp look.

"If you're not going to help us dig up the meteorite than you should just go, Oikawa," Iwaizumi scolded, an angry vein popped on his forehead.

"Iwa-chan, no need to be so angry. I am helping," Oikawa replied with a pout.

"You're tools don't have a single speck of dirt on them," Iwaizumi snapped back.

"I'm just trying to find the right angle to dig," Oikawa insisted airily.

"Whatever," Iwaizumi grumbled before addressing Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. "We have to try to get this rock up by tonight but be careful not to nick it with your shovel," Iwaizumi strictly instructed. "You'll work with Oikawa and myself to extract the meteorite."

Tsukishima gave a curt nod while Yamaguchi did his best not to shake like a leaf as he nodded in understanding. With that, he placed Eevee down his shirt before getting on his knees to help dig. Iwaizumi wasted no time in bossing them around as they began to dig up the meteorite.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi and Tsukishima begrudgingly helped Iwaizumi dig around the meteorite. Oikawa hung beside the three, claiming he would pitch in with the work in 'a moment' but never made to touch his digging tools. He instead blabbed on and on about anything, and Yamaguchi could tell Tsukki, as well as Iwaizumi, were becoming annoyed.

"So what were you two going to do with the meteorite once you stole it?" Oikawa asked in a mocking accusatory tone.

"We were never going to steal anything," Yamaguchi shot back with a small pout. "I accidentally took the wrong path."

"How does one accidentally walk over a roadblock?" Oikawa laughed.

"There was never a roadblock!" Yamaguchi insisted. "Right, Tsukki?"

"We don't have to explain anything to you," Tsukishima grumbled, sending Oikawa a challenging glare.

"Isn't that cute," Oikawa replied in an overly sweet tone. "We have Mr. Sweet and Mr. Salty."

"Tsukki isn't salty," Yamaguchi barked like a Rockruff defending its trainer.

"Aww, your little guard dog is so scary," Oikawa laughed, not showing even the least bit of fear.

Yamaguchi could feel his cheeks go red with frustration. From beside him, Tsukki looked as if he was going to shove his shovel down Oikawa's throat.

"Shut the fuck up, Oikawa," Iwaizumi scolded. "If you're not going to help, then go away."

"Iwa-chan is always the killjoy," Oikawa whined with a pout.

Iwaizumi's stare lingered on Oikawa, daring him to say more. Oikawa refrained from talking for several minutes, though his pout never went away.

"What are you guys digging this meteorite up for? A museum?" Yamaguchi asked after almost 30 minutes of silent digging.

"Wouldn't you like to know, thief," Oikawa mocked, stopping short after Iwaizumi shot him another glare.

"See how this meteorite has these little blue stone embedded in it?" Iwaizumi replied once he'd confirmed that Oikawa was finished with his taunting.

Yamaguchi looked closely at the watermelon-sized stone to see that it did indeed have veins of blue stone running through it. Even in the afternoon light, the blue stone looked as if it were glowing "Wow, what is it?" Yamaguchi hummed as he ran his finger over one of the veins. He felt a very odd sensation tickle his fingertip.

"We aren't 100% sure," Iwaizumi said. "We think perhaps some sort of energy."

"Alien energy," Oikawa cut in.

Yamaguchi looked to the beautiful trainer expecting him to be joking once more but was surprised to find Oikawa stone serious. "Alien?" Yamaguchi echoed.

"Not this again," Iwaizumi sighed.

"Yes! Aliens," Oikawa repeated his tone sounding very important. "I know something like this can prove that some Pokemon have come to our planet from outer space."

Yamaguchi didn't know how to reply to that. His mouth half hung open in shock. He had heard that some people think Pokemon like Clefairy and Staryu came from the stars but that was just a myth. Did Oikawa really believe this, or was it just another one of his tricks?

Oikawa looked to his audience noticing their skepticism. "It's true! Some Pokemon have come to this planet from beyond the stars," he pushed, talking like one of those crazy religious people you see on street corners.

"That's enough, Oikawa," Iwaizumi sighed. "There is no proof that any Pokemon have come from 'beyond the star'."

"Extraterrestrial Pokemon are real!" Oikawa spat back like a maniac. "How do you explain Jirachi!?"

"Jirachi is a myth, Oikawa," Iwaizumi spoke as if this was a conversation topic they'd been over many times. "Jirachi has only been depicted in ancient art. There is no proof that a Jirachi has ever existed."

"Just because no one has seen a Jirachi doesn't mean it isn't real!" Oikawa retorted with a heavy pout.

"Listed," Iwaizumi mumbled, sounding like he was on his last nerves. "You are either going to help us dig, or go away."

Oikawa pouted like a child as he looked to Iwaizumi. "Fine, I bet Professor Sycamore will agree with me about extraterrestrials," He spat as he stood up and made for the tent.

"Finally," Iwaizumi sighed to himself.

Yamaguchi's eyes followed Oikawa. He never expected the seasoned Showcase contestant to be so childish. He wondered if this was public knowledge or not.

Yamaguchi and the others spent a good few hours digging at the meteorite. They all mostly dug in silence only exchanging small chat whenever Yamaguchi began to feel antsy. As time passed it seemed as if Iwaizumi's suspicions towards them became much milder. He stopped glaring at them and by the time they had completely dug up the space rock he talked to them quiet normally.

The sun was only starting its descent over the horizon by the time they finished digging up the meteorite. Yamaguchi's knees and back ached from being bent over for so long. He felt sticky from sweat and dirt cracked his hands. He wished for nothing more than a hot shower.

Iwaizumi released a satisfying sigh as he stood up. "Nothing better than a good dig," he said with a smile. "You two were a lot of help today."

"Is that why you wouldn't let us go?" Tsukishima grumbled in reply.

"Nah. Keeping you two here is proper protocol," Iwaizumi said as he gave Tsukishima's back a hard pat.

Patting Tsukishima's back so familiarly like that was a brave action. If Iwaizumi wasn't so intense himself, Yamaguchi would fear for his life.

"But you two did a great job! Thanks for the help," Iwaizumi said with a kind smile.

"N-No problem," Yamaguchi replied with a nervous smile of his own. He could feel Tsukishima send a scowl his way.

"Well, why don't you two head to the tent and wash up before dinner," Iwaizumi insisted as he motioned the two towards one of the many large tents. "When you're done washing up, you can help collect a bit more firewood," he called after as Yamaguchi and Tsukishima headed for the tent.

"I can't believe we're stuck here all night," Tsukishima frowned, his sharp eyes landing on Officer Jenny as they passed her.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologized, feeling like it was all his fault.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Tsukishima mumbled, his voice much more gentle. "It's not your fault if the trail wasn't properly marked off."

"Yeah…" Yamaguchi hummed in thought as they entered the tent Iwaizumi had pointed them towards. "I wonder what happened with the trail block."

"Who knows," Tsukishima shrugged. "Maybe the wind or a wild Pokemon knocked it down."

"Maybe…" Yamaguchi replied in uncertainty.

There wasn't much in the tent for the two to use to wash up. Just a few wet wipes and two damp towels. It was nothing near a warm shower, but Yamaguchi supposed it was better than nothing.

Once the two had cleaned up and joined the others they found themselves being split up. Iwaizumi instructed Tsukishima to stay behind and help him with packing up the meteorite while Oikawa and Yamaguchi were sent into the woods to gather some wood. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel nervous being sent into the woods with Oikawa, and from the looks of it Oikawa was also not too thrilled.

"Iwa-chan," Oikawa whined like a small child. "Why can't I help you here with the meteorite?"

"You haven't done a single useful thing all day," Iwaizumi snapped. "Besides, I can't trust you with the meteorite. You'll just break it."

"Will not!" Oikawa wined back.

"Don't start this, Oikawa," Iwaizumi warned, his aura becoming so dark that Yamaguchi jumped behind Tsukki.

Oikawa released a small 'humph' as he pouted in submission.

With that, Yamaguchi reluctantly bid Tsukki a farewell as he entered the woods with Oikawa. He left Eevee behind with Tsukki since carrying her would make it hard to gather wood. As he entered the thick brush with Oikawa he felt his back stiffen. He really didn't know what to say to the older trainer.

"There is no need to look so scared," Oikawa had said after several minutes of them poking around the woods. "I'm not going to eat you or anything."

"O-Oh, s-sorry," Yamaguchi stuttered in reply.

Oikawa rolled his eyes, obviously already done with Yamaguchi.

"Listen, how about we split up to cover more ground," Oikawa sighed, he seemed to want to get away from Yamaguchi as fast as he could.

"Split up?" Yamaguchi gasped back in horror. The sun was going down, and the woods were getting dark. There wouldn't be any way he'd find his way back on his own.

"That's what I said," Oikawa replied in annoyance. "I want to get back to camp as fast as I can, so let's just split up so we can collect more wood faster."

"B-But-," Yamaguchi sputtered.

"I'm not asking. I'm telling," Oikawa sassed. "I'll go this way and you go that way."

"But-" Yamaguchi tried once more.

"I'll see you back at camp," Oikawa cut in, not even giving Yamaguchi a moment to gather his thoughts. With that, he turned on his heel and headed deeper into the woods.

"O-Oikawa!" Yamaguchi called after in horror.

"Don't follow me," Yamaguchi heard Oikawa yell as he disappeared behind a tree.

Yamaguchi stopped in his tracks. He was sure his face must have been pale by now. He tried his best not to panic. There was no need to do so. He had his Pokemon team with him, and with Popplio and Swirlix by his side he was bound to find his way back on his own.

With a shaky breath, he turned in the direction Oikawa has insisted he go. He stepped carefully through the woods as he picked up branches large enough to be suitable for a campfire. The suitable branches were few and far between, and by the time he came across an armful it was already mostly dark.

Yamaguchi had done his best to figure out where the camp was in comparison to where he was. He'd try to retrace his steps best he could, and if he came up empty he'd seek out the aid of Swirlix and Popplio. He had to at least try on his own first.

With his arms full of dry old branches, he headed in the direction he expected camp to be. He walked for what felt like several minutes, doing his best not to drop the firewood in his arms. It took him by surprise, but as he turned the corner of a large tree he saw what looked to be the faint glow of a campfire. He felt his shoulders loosen in relief.

With much more purpose in his stride, Yamaguchi made for the campsite. He could hear the faint mumble of people talking. He felt his chest loosen with relief. He had actually found his way back. Why had he even been worried?

Feeling much better and even proud of his work Yamaguchi strode past several bushes and into the campsite.

"I'm back!" Yamaguchi announced loudly.

"Who the heck is this guy?" Replied a voice Yamaguchi had never heard before.

Yamaguchi felt his heart sink. He looked around the camp and was met by three very unfriendly looking individuals. There were two large men who wore strange matching outfits. On top they wore a black long sleeve with golden detailing around the collar and arm cuffs. Upon the chest of the shirt was printed two red eyes and what looked to be large white fangs. Below they wore tight black jeans and black boots. Beside them, on the ground, sat two purple masks that resembled an Ekans. Both were glaring right at him.

Between the two strange men sat a woman with brown hair that hung just past her shoulders. She wore a purple blazer top and a fitted matching purple suit skirt. Under the purple blazer was a black button up shirt and around her neck tied a golden neckerchief. On her feet, she wore bright red high heels that demanded respect, and in her lap she held a mask that was similar to the other two men's but hers resembled an Arbok. She too started daggers at Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel as if he had seen the woman before, but he couldn't quite remember where.

"Well now, what do we have here," The woman hummed, her eyes looked to Yamaguchi as if she had found very interesting pray. She smiled in a way that frightened Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi's knees shook as he stumbled back. "S-Sorry, w-wrong c-camp," he somehow got out. He took another shaky step backward towards the forest.

"Catch him!" the woman commanded, her voice full of venom. Her eyes were fixed on Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt his knees buckle as he tripped over a tree root. He tumbled to the ground, dropping the branches he had collected. Before he could so much as get up, the two male trainers called forth their Pokemon. Yamaguchi felt his heart stop as he came face to face with a Hypno and an Ekans.

Still on his butt, Yamaguchi stared death in the face as the two Pokemon approached him. His heart raced as he made a failed attempted to back away, his back hitting a tree. He had never felt more like prey then at this moment.

"You won't be going anywhere," The woman hissed as she walked between the two angry Pokemon and loomed down over Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi shook from head to toe. His limbs were stiff with fear. Even if he wanted to call for Popplio or Swirlix, he couldn't find the will to do so. At that point, he had even lost the will to speak. All the while, his mind screamed for Tsukki.

Author's Notes:

Oh, no! What has Yamaguchi gotten himself into? Who are these people? What are their intentions? What will they do with Yamaguchi? Maybe they aren't bad people? You can find out this and more in the next chapter!

Hey all, as always I love to hear feedback from my readers so do leave a comment or review down below. Let me know what you think of the story thus far. Also I'd like to thank everyone for their kinds follows, kudos, bookmarks and so on. It's another great way to let me know what you're all thinking about this fic. It's getting kind of long and will only get longer from here on out so the more feedback the better fuel for me to keep on going.

Well, this is all for now. I hope everything is going to turn out okay for Yamaguchi. See you all next chapter.


	39. Meteorite: Part 2

Hey everyone! So here is part 2! I don't want to say anything more as I don't want to spoil it. Enjoy! 3

My normal beta reader was on a summer holiday this weekend so this weeks chapter was betaed by my substitute beta reader ninalover359 (their tumblr name). Let's all thank them as well for helping me out by giving this chapter a proofreading and editing it. Thank you!

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Without further ado, here is chapter 29!

Meteorite: Part 2

Tsukishima sat next to Iwaizumi by a small campfire Professor Sycamore had built not too long ago. Eevee lay fast asleep in his lap as he stared into the fire. It hadn't taken the two long to pack up and secure the meteorite into one of the large tents. By the time the two finished the sun had completely set and Oikawa and Yamaguchi had yet to return. Tsukishima hoped Oikawa hadn't done something to get the two into trouble. That guy seemed horribly irresponsible.

"So, how have your travels been going so far, Tsukishima?" Professor Sycamore asked as he joined the two at the fire.

"Fine, I suppose," Tsukishima shrugged. "Already have three badges."

"Three badges in just three months," Professor Sycamore echoed in mild shock. "That's quite a few in such a short amount of time. If you keep this up you'll have all your badges in no time."

Tsukishima replied with a small shrug. He didn't really know what else to say.

"So, you're going for the league then?" Iwaizumi asked.

Tsukishima itched to reply in a sarcastic manner but thought best not to. It would be less annoying in the long run to stay on Iwaizumi's good side. Instead he opted for a simple "yes."

"You know, Oikawa has already collected 5 badges now," Iwaizumi said with a thoughtful hum. "I'm sure he could give you some tips if you needed them."

"Oikawa is collecting badges?" Tsukishima asked, showing more shock on his face than he meant to. He thought Oikawa was participating in showcases.

"No need to look so surprised, Four-eyes," Oikawa moked from behind, catching Tsukishima off guard.

Tsukishima whipped around to find Oikawa holding a few stray tree branches. He had a cocky smile upon his face as he dumped the branches just behind Tsukishima. Tsukishima looked around but Yamaguchi was nowhere to be seen.

"I am what you might call an overachiever," Oikawa carried on, ignoring the blatant concern on Tsukishima's face. "Unlike you normal simpleton trainers, I am going for both League Champion and Kalos King," He sang as he took a seat next to Iwaizumi.

"Where is Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima replied, not really caring much about how wonderful Oikawa might think himself to be.

"Pardon?" Oikawa replied in fained insult over the topic of his bragging being shifted so suddenly.

"The guy you went into the forest with to gather firewood," Tsukishima explained as if he were talking to an idiot. "Yamaguchi."

"Oh! Him," Oikawa almost laughed. "We split up."

"You did what?" Iwaizumi growled, his sharp eyes targeting in on Oikawa. "You let one of the convicts get away!?"

"I thought you trusted them," Oikawa pouted in reply.

"That's not the point, Shitty-kawa! I thought you were more responsible than that!" Iwaizumi hissed.

"What? You think Glasses here and that Freckle kid are actually going to take the meteorite?" Oikawa retorted, his tone quite exaggerated.

"Well, he's not back yet so the two could be plotting something!" Iwaizumi snapped.

"There is no need to panic," Officer Jenny cut in. "I will go into the forest and look for Yamaguchi."

"See, everything is going to be fine. Even if the two are planning to steal the meteorite Officer Jenny here will catch that Freckled kid before he can do anything," Oikawa spoke almost as if he hadn't done anything wrong in the first place.

All the while Tsukishima was doing his best not to panic. He knew that Yamaguchi was not going to try to steal the meteorite. He also knew that Yamaguchi was hopeless at finding his way around anywhere. The only saving grace is that Yamaguchi had both Popplio and Swirlix with him. If Yamaguchi got too turned around those two would have no trouble guiding him back to the camp.

Tsukishima just couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in his stomach.

Yamaguchi's head spun when he came to. He hadn't even realized he had been knocked out to begin with. The first thing he noticed was that both his arms and legs were bound tightly by rope. He was honestly surprised they hadn't just killed him. The second thing he noticed was a large strip of tape covering his mouth. Even if he wanted to yell, he wouldn't be able to. The third thing he noticed was how late it was. The moon was now quite high in the sky. How long had he been out? The last thing he noticed, after looking around, was that one of the three campers who had attacked him was nowhere to be seen.

Currently the woman and one of the other lackeys sat by the fire talking quietly. They both wore their masks as they mumbled to one another. Yamaguchi sat just behind the lacky. He had decided almost right away that he would feign still being knocked out. He would rather not draw attention to himself and if he was lucky, maybe he could catch a bit of what they were talking about.

Yamaguchi's eyes focused on the woman who sat beside the fire. She had long brown hair that ended mid chest. Her fringe parted in the middle of her forehead and reached down to just above her eyebrows. Her brown-eyed gaze was fixed on the fire. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel like he had seen this woman somewhere else.

"Admin Mika," the grunt said, catching Yamaguchi's attention. "What will we do with this boy once we get the meteorite?"

Yamaguchi felt his heart freeze. These people were really after the meteorite. Were they the ones who removed the road block?

"I will inquire to the boss about it before we head out tonight," Admin Mika replied in a very concentrated tone. "We may take him along with us or possibly have to do him in. He has seen our faces."

Yamaguchi felt his heart jump into his throat. Were they really going to kill him? He had to escape before that happened.

"A missing person is bound to catch attention," the grunt spoke up, sounding quite concerned.

"You grunts needn't worry yourself about that," Admin Mika cut in, her tone cool and controlled. "The Boss will definitely find a way to hide our trail no matter what we do with this kid."

At this point Yamaguchi felt like he didn't need to hear anymore. He had to get out of these rope and away from these people. From what it sounded like, if he didn't do something he would definitely end up dead in a ditch somewhere. He struggled against the rope but it was futile. He couldn't even loosen it a bit. If he could just reach a Pokeball perhaps one of his team members could escape and call for help.

"Hey, the kids awake," the grunt grumbled, as he turned to look at Yamaguchi with an evil smile.

"Don't mind him," Admin Mika almost yawned as she shifted in her seat. "It's not like he is going to be able to get away."

Yamaguchi struggled against the rope regardless. He had to at least try. These people, whoever they are, are going to regret underestimating him.

"That other grunt should be back soon so let's get ready to head out," Admin Mika instructed sharply, not paying Yamaguchi any mind.

She stood up from the fire and strode over to a bag and began to rummage through it. As she did so an old book fell from the bag. It made a large thump as it hit the ground, catching Yamaguchi's attention. Yamaguchi watched as Admin Mika picked the old book up and placed it back into her bag.

Yamaguchi knew that book. He had seen it in Lumiose City. Those two people in the ally had been passing it off to each other. Could this lady be the same woman? A very uneasy feeling settled in Yamaguchi's stomach.

"Everything is set in place, Admin Mika," the second grunt announced as he arrived back at the campsite.

Yamaguchi's body stiffened even more. He had less time than he had anticipated.

"So you've laid out all the traps then," Admin Mika confirmed.

"Affirmative," the grunt replied in a very stiff manner. "Even if they follow after us one of the traps is bound to ensnare them."

"Perfect!" Admin Mika hissed with an evil smile. "Then let's get out of here before it gets any later."

"What will we do about our prisoner?" the grunt who just arrived back asked.

"Leave him here," Admin Mika replied coolly. "We will deal with him after we secure the meteorite."

Both grunts saluted in understanding. With that, the three disappeared into the thick woods leaving Yamaguchi all alone.

An hour had passed since Officer Jenny had gone into the woods looking for Yamaguchi and neither had yet to return. The uneasy feeling had only built in Tsukishima's gut, making it impossible for him to eat when Iwaizumi offered him dinner. Tsukishima knew that by this point he probably looked just as worried as he felt. He hadn't said a thing since Officer Jenny had left. What was there to say when Iwaizumi was still convinced that he couldn't be trusted.

"You're not looking so well, Tsukishima," Professor Sycamore calmly commented.

"I'm fine," Tsukishima sharply replied. He kicked himself for sounding so completely not fine.

"Hey, Officer Jenny will probably return with Yamaguchi soon so just relax," Iwaizumi said. He too seemed worried over Tsukishima's agitated state.

"He is probably just nervous that they had been caught red handed trying to steal the meteorite," Oikawa foolishly teased.

"We are not after that stupid meteorite!" Tsukishima snapped, his voice sharp enough that Oikawa jumped back a bit.

"Jeez, calm down," Oikawa pouted as if he had been rudely insulted. "It was just a joke."

Tsukishima was not in any mood for jokes.

It was then that a bush just at the forest line rustled, catching everyone's attention. A moment later Officer Jenny emerged from the brush. In her hand she held a torn up net. She looked grim as she approached the group.

"I couldn't find Yamaguchi," Officer Jenny announced. "But I did find this," She said as she tossed the net just beside the fire.

"A trapper's net?" Iwaizumi gasped.

"Yup," Officer Jenny replied with a sigh. "It almost caught me, too. When I investigated the area it looked as if this net had been freshly set."

"So you and that kid are trying to take the meteorite," Oikawa snapped as he pointed an accusing finger at Tsukishima.

"What!?" Tsukishima snapped back, his anger starting to build to dangerous levels. How could Oikawa be blaming him and Yamaguchi? Yamaguchi could very well be trapped in one of these nets.

"That's enough, Oikawa," Iwaizumi cut in. He shot Oikawa a look that told the man to shut it here and now or else.

Oikawa snapped his mouth shut obviously afraid of Iwaizumi's wrath.

"Regardless of why these traps were set, if Yamaguchi got caught in one than he could be in a lot of trouble," Iwaizumi carried on once Oikawa committed to keeping his mouth shut.

"I have to find him!" Tsukishima stated, standing up with great purpose. He had known something was terribly wrong.

"We will look together," Iwaizumi said, standing as well.

Tsukishima looked unsure as he eyed Iwaizumi.

"This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't sent Yamaguchi into the forest with Oikawa," Iwaizumi admitted.

Tsukishima's shoulders slacked slightly as he sent Iwaizumi a small nod.

"It's settled then," Professor Sycamore cut in, standing as well. "We will look for Yamaguchi together."

"Let's split into pairs then," Officer Jenny added. "The Professor and I will sweep this end of the forest and you two will sweep the other end. He couldn't have gone far. This net was set not too far from the campsite."

"What about me," Oikawa whined, still sitting at the fire.

"You'll stay here," Iwaizumi snapped.

"But that's boring" Oikawa complained, elongating the vowels as he spoke.

"This whole mess is all your fault," Iwaizumi shouted as he gave his friend a frustrated smack to the head.

"It's not my fault Freckles is so weak," Oikawa pouted in a low mumble. He didn't carry on any further with his complaints.

"You will lay low in the tent and defend the meteorite, Oikawa," Iwaizumi commanded.

"Fine," Oikawa sighed as he lethargically got up and made his way to his post.

"I don't know why you keep him around," Tsukishima mumbled.

"He can be a pain but he has his uses," Iwaizumi shrugged. "He's not always this fussy. I think he's just frustrated from a recent loss."

Tsukishima gave as small shrug not really caring what sort of excuse Iwaizumi might of had for his annoying friend. He then set the sleeping Eevee down by the fire next to Salazzle, instructing her to watch Eevee while he was away.

With that the rest of the party split into two and combed the forest.

Yamaguchi's wrists and ankles were rubbed raw from all the struggling he had done. He had no clue how long the three crooks had been gone but it felt as if a lot of time had passed. He felt waves of urgency wash over him every moment as he dreaded their return. Whatever they decided to do with him was most likely not going to be pleasant. He dare not think about what they would do to his Pokemon team. He thanked god Eevee wasn't here.

Yamaguchi had tried to rub the rope upon a tree trunk to loosen it but to no avail. He had then tried a few sharp rocks but only managed to cut his arm. He had even attempted to roll over to the dying fire to burn the ropes loose but it was no use.

Perhaps all he could do was roll into the forest and hope they don't go looking for him. But what would become of him if no one found him. He'd surely starve to death bound up like this. How long could a human go without food? Yamaguchi couldn't recall. But rolling into the forest and hoping someone found him was more appealing than waiting for Mika and the Grunts to get back. That outcome was going to be negative no matter how he looked at it.

With his mind now made, Yamaguchi did his best to roll towards the forest's edge. The task was much easier said than done. Trying to get around the camping gear and over rocks and roots was more taxing than he had expected. He had a feeling he will be coming out of this endeavor with more bruises than he could count.

After several long minutes of bumping into many hard objects, he had somehow managed to wiggle his way to the forest's edge. He was exhausted, scared and in desperate need of a drink of water but did his best to push those thoughts to the wayside. With as much effort as he could muster he did his best to roll past the first bush.

With a roll and a tumble, the next thing he knew he was being lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. He felt panic rush through his body as the person slung him over their shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Who the hell was that guy?" Mika snapped as she stomped past the large grunt into the campsite.

"And all those people scouring the forest," The Grunt replied in a deep voice as he followed after, Yamaguchi held secure in his arms.

Yamaguchi flailed and panicked as he did his best to be let free.

"At this rate they are sure to find our camp," Mika shreaked in anger and frustration. She then turned on her grunt and Yamaguchi. With a pull much stronger than she seemed to have, she ripped Yamaguchi from the Grunt's hold, sending him falling to the ground.

Yamaguchi released a pained groan as his back hit a large rock. He coughed against the tape as he cracked his eye open to see Mika looming over him. Her sharp eyes leered through the horrifying mask with much disdain.

"This is all your fault!" Mika growled as she gave a hard kick to Yamaguchi's stomach.

Yamaguchi released a much sharper grunt as the wind was completely knocked out of him. He sputtered and coughed from behind the tape as Mika grabbed a fist full of his hair and lifted his head.

"If you hadn't come stumbling into here then those at the dig sight wouldn't be on to us right now," Mika growled, her eyes full of venom.

Yamaguchi felt oddly relieved to know that the others were aware of his absence but equally horrified of Admin Mika.

"One of the grunts had been compromised and the mission is now a failure," Admin Mika's voice shook with anger as her grip on Yamaguchi's hair trightend. "I've never, in my entire career as Admin, failed a mission," Admin Mika's voice was low and dangerous as she spoke.

Yamaguchi felt his blood run cold. Never before had he ever feared for his life quite like this. These two were surely going to kill him.

"What are we going to do, Admin Mika?" The grunt stupidly asked.

Admin Mika took a deep steady breath as she closed her eyes. As she released the breath she seemed to have relaxed. When she opened her eyes she looked less murderous. In one swift motion she slung Yamaguchi back to the floor at the Grunt's feet.

Yamaguchi released a pained 'umph' as his back slammed into the Grunt's strong legs. He counted himself lucky that Admin Mika hadn't killed him then and there.

"We have to retreat for now," Admin Mika replied in a calmer voice. "There isn't anything we can do and we can not get caught."

"What about the kid?" the Grunt followed up, nudging Yamaguchi with his foot.

"We can't have him blabbing about anything he saw here so he is coming with us," Admin Mika calmly explained. "Once at headquarters, The Boss will decide what we do with him."

The Grunt gave a nod as he stepped past Yamaguchi and started to pack the site. Yamaguchi felt another wave of panicked adrenaline course through him. Were these people going to really kidnap him. If that happened he would never see Tsukki or his family again. Who knows what they would do to him? If they are an evil team they could sell off his Pokemon on the black market. Hopelessness began to eat away at Yamaguchi. How did he always get himself into these sort of situations.

It didn't take the two long to pack up the camp. It was obvious that they must have had some packing protocol. They had opted to leave behind the tents and camping gear, only taking what was important. It wasn't long before everything was packed and ready to go.

"You take the kid," Admin Mika commanded. "The van is parked just on the other side of these trees. We'll just toss him into the back with the gear and worry about him when we get back to the base."

"Roger," the Grunt replied before picking Yamaguchi up like a sack of potatoes once more.

Despite his achy tired body, Yamaguchi struggled and flailed the whole way. He may not be able to fight the Grunt but he wasn't going to make it easy for them. The grunt struggled to keep his hold on the tall trainer as Yamaguchi elbowed him over and over in the back.

"He sure is a feisty one," Admin Mika commented as she glanced back at the two. "Perhaps with a bit of grooming he could become a valued member of our team."

Yamaguchi replied with a very violent shake and an elbow to the back of the grunt's head. Like he would ever join an evil team like this.

The three had only taken a few steps into the forest before they heard rustling from just behind them. Mika motioned for the grunt to stop. Yamaguchi, on the other hand, only flailed more.

"I hear something over there," Iwaizumi called from beyond the trees, his voice getting closer and closer.

With that, Yamaguchi shook, flailed, and fought for his life. "TMUKKI" he shouted from behind the tape."TMUKKI!"

"Over here! I hear something over here," Tsukishima shouted as his voice came even closer. "Yamaguchi!"

"Shut him up!" Admin Mika hissed, shooting a sharp look to the Grunt.

The Grunt, a little frazzled, looked around only to slam Yamaguchi against a tree. A loud snap resonated through the woods at Yamaguchi's back snapped a branch.

Yamaguchi flailing subsided as the wind was once again knocked out of him. A sharp pain shot across his rib making it hard for him to breathe. He did his best not to pass out but the world around him spun.

"You idiot!" Admin Mika hissed, as the sound of rushing footsteps came closer. She then motioned for the Grunt to follow her. They would be caught if they didn't move.

Slung over the Grunts shoulder, Yamaguchi hung half limp. The forest around him spun as he tried to stay awake. "Tsmkki" he breathlessly called from behind the tape. He couldn't give up.

Author Notes:

Oh no! Tsukki, hurry! You need to save Yamaguchi! Will Tsukki make it in time? Will the Admin Mika and the Grunt get away with Yamaguchi? What could they possibly need the meteorite for!? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned!

Hey all. I hope you are enjoying this mini three part. It was fun to write and will be concluded next chapter. I was worried it might come across violent since this is about as violent as I've gotten in any of my writing thus far. I am aware that most people probably don't see this as violent at all. I'm just a baby I guess lol. I just feel very bad for Yamaguchi. He is out soft sweet boy. Why do I harm him so. Anyways, the next chapter should be up next weekend no problem so keep an eye out for it!

As always thank you all so much for your bookmarks, follows, kudos, reviews and comments. I really do enjoy the feedback I get from my readers so please let me know down below what you thought of this chapter or what you think of the fic as a whole. I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

I don't have much more to say outside of this so I will see you all next chapter!


	40. Meteorite: Part 3

Hey everyone! So here is the conclusion to this three parter. What will become of our dear Yamaguchi? Will Tsukki be able to reach him in time?

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Without further ado, here is chapter 40! (I can't believe we are at chapter 40!)

Meteorite: Part 3

Almost like magic, Tsukki appeared from behind a bush. His golden eye's glinted in the moonlight as he caught sight of Yamaguchi's limp body being carried away by the large Grunt. With a murderous glint in his eyes, he called forth Frogadier.

"Crap!" Admin Mika hissed. "Ditch the kid and run!" She commanded the Grunt. They couldn't afford to get caught even if it meant compromising a witness.

With that, Yamaguchi felt himself tumble to the hard forest floor. He heard footsteps rush past him as he began to regain full consciousness. It was Iwaizumi and his Pangoro pursuing the crooks. The next thing he knew he was being rolled over and half lifted into a lap. He cracked his eyes open to find Tsukki's worried stare.

A furious Iwaizumi and an angry Pangoro disappeared into the forest. Yamaguchi could hear Iwaizumi command his Pangoro to use shadow claw, after which there were several cracks as a tree fell.

Without a moment longer Tsukishima ripped the tape from Yamaguchi's lips. The act was painful but Yamaguchi was nothing but grateful.

"T-Tsukki!" Yamaguchi choked as his eyes began to tear up. He felt utter relief flood his every limb.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima replied, his tone still laced with worry and urgency. "Hold on. I'll get you untied. He called out Servine. "Use Razor Leaf on the rope."

Yamaguchi braced himself and the next thing he knew he wasn't bound any longer. With help from Tsukishima, he pulled himself up into a sitting position. He rubbed the rope burns around his wrists as he leaned on his friend for support.

"Yamaguchi! Are you okay?" Tsukishima asked in a careful whisper as he let Yamaguchi rest his head against his chest. The way he handled Yamaguchi was delicate and careful, almost as if he were handling precious porcelain

"Y-Yeah. I-I th-think so," Yamaguchi stuttered. He took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He was safe. Somehow against all odds, he was safe. He felt tears of relief rush down his cheeks.

"Yamaguchi," Tsukishima gasped as he put a hand on Yamaguchi's back. "Everything is okay," he whispered as he did what he could to comfort his friend.

"I-I know," Yamaguchi replied as he fought a sob. "I was j-just s-so scared."

A quiet moment passed as Tsukishima allowed Yamaguchi to collect himself. As Yamaguchi leaned into his friend the aches he felt began to subside and he became less light-headed. Before long, he'd cried all he could.

"Thank you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whispered into Tsukki's shoulder before pulling himself away from the taller trainer.

Tsukishima replied with a gentle shake of his head as he examined Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi's hair was a knotted mess. He found both wrists to have a bad rope burns and on his left arm was a small dried up cut. Several bruises were scattered along Yamaguchi's arms and legs, and from the awkward way he sat slouched over, there were probably more bruises hidden by his clothes.

"We should get you back to camp," Tsukishima sighed in worry.

Yamaguchi gave a small quiet nod of agreement.

"Can you stand?" Tsukishima asked, ready to carry Yamaguchi back the whole way if needed.

"I-I think so," Yamaguchi stuttered as Tsukki helped him to his feet. His legs were wobbly with exhaustion, making it hard for him to walk on his own.

Without a word, Tsukishima offered his shoulder to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi's didn't hesitate to accept the offer. He slung an arm around the taller trainer. With both their bodies pressed close together, the two made their way back to camp.

The going was slow as Yamaguchi used Tsukki as a crutch to get him through the forest. Part of him wouldn't mind just being carried, but Yamaguchi was far too stubborn to follow through with something like that.

By the time they made it back to the campsite Officer Jenny and Professor Sycamore has returned from their search. Oikawa stood proudly by the missing Grunt, who was currently tied up and was being questioned by Officer Jenny. Beside Oikawa stood a very confident Roserade. The Grunt didn't seem like he was going to spill the beans and when he caught sight of Yamaguchi, he sent a nasty sneer. Yamaguchi stumbled back a bit, Tsukki catching him before he fell to the floor. From over Yamaguchi, Tsukishima sent the Grunt a death glare of his own.

"Yamaguchi, are you okay?" Professor Sycamore gasped as he caught sight of the two. "Here, help him into this tent," He insisted as he motioned for the two to enter the largest of the tents.

Inside the tent sat three cots. Tsukishima helped Yamaguchi onto the closest of them. With a heavy sigh, Yamaguchi flopped onto the cot. His body ached as he did so, and he hoped this didn't dampen his chances at the upcoming showcase.

"Yamaguchi, rest here," Tsukishima calmly insisted. "I'll get you some water."

With his eyes closed, Yamaguchi gave a quiet nod.

"Try to stay awake until after we have examined you," Professor Sycamore calmly said.

Yamaguchi gave another quiet nod as he rubbed his eyes before opening them.

When Tsukishima came back he was in the company of Eevee who looked as if she would destroy anyone that got between her and Yamaguchi. With an urgent squeak, she leapt onto the cot and made to settle herself on his chest. Though she was not heavy, even her tiny weight made Yamaguchi's whole body ache.

"Get off of him, Eevee," Tsukishima scolded as he pushed Eevee aside.

Eevee shot the blond the stink eye but didn't make to move and instead snuggled beside Yamaguchi. Once settled she gave a small purr as Yamaguchi stroked her back.

"Here's some water. Try to drink a little," Tsukishima instructed as he helped Yamaguchi sit up.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamauchi replied in a very scratchy voice. He took the water and downed it in just a few gulps. As the water travelled into his stomach he felt a bit of energy return to him.

"Better?" Tsukishima asked in almost a whisper.

"Much better," Yamaguchi replied with a small smile. The two shared a quiet smile as their eyes met. Yamaguchi had never felt so relieved in all his life. If it weren't for Tsukki he'd be in the back of a car on his way to a secret hideout to be brainwashed.

"I guess I was wrong about you two," Oikawa half yawned. "Looks like you weren't the criminals after all." This won him a deadly glare from Tsukki.

"Shut up, Oikawa," Iwaizumi sighed giving his friend a soft slap before turning to the other three in the tent. "The two criminals that tried to abduct Yamaguchi got away in a large black van with no license plate," he sighed in great frustration.

"And the one I bravely caught is refusing to talk," Oikawa added, sounding much less frustrated and almost proud.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes before looking to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi stiffened a bit. He did intend to tell Iwaizumi and Officer Jenny everything he knew but at the moment he was finding it hard to talk.

"You can question the victim after he has been examined," Professor Sycamore cut in.

"Right," Iwaizumi sighed as he gave his face a hard rub. He looked to be trying to calm himself. "We will revisit this topic when Yamaguchi is rested," he looked to Yamaguchi for confirmation.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod as Tsukishima patched up a small scrape on his cheek.

"Well, I can't find anything that indicates serious injury but just to be safe it would be best to get you to an actual hospital tonight to get checked over properly," Professor Sycamore sighed. "I'll have to get my car ready."

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukishima who nodded in agreement. "It would be a pain if we missed something that turned out to be serious," Tsukishima agreed, letting his golden eyes linger on Yamaguchi's injured wrists.

"And no need to worry," Professor Sycamore added. "The closest Hospital is just outside of Geosenge Town.

With that, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi gathered their things and followed Professor Sycamore to his car. It was a large Jeep that looked perfectly equipped for driving over dirt roads. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi took seats in the back while Professor Sycamore drove. Eevee lay possessively in Yamaguchi's lap, doting over her trainer and doing her best to care for his injured arm.

The drive didn't take long, but it was quite late into the night when they arrived at the small hospital. Professor Sycamore explained the situation before Yamaguchi was admitted. The place was mostly empty, and it was decided that Yamaguchi would spend the rest of the night there while they checked him over. Unfortunately for Eevee, that meant she had to go with Tsukki for the night. She put up a bit of a fight, but gave in when Yamaguchi asked her to.

Yamaguchi's heart felt heavy as he was led into the hospital and had to part with Tsukki. He felt like crying. He had been so desperate to be safe with Tsukki and now he had to be away from him again. Despite the uneasiness he felt he didn't shed a tear. He would see Tsukki tomorrow.

The examination didn't take long at all and before Yamaguchi knew it he was allowed to sleep for the night. He had a small room all to himself. He was pretty sure he was the only patient at the hospital that night. Though he still felt horribly afraid from the events of the evening, he was somehow able to pass out the second his head hit the pillow. Perhaps it was due to the painkillers.

When he woke up the next morning he found Eevee sleeping snugly against his side and Tsukki dozing in a chair right next to his bed. He couldn't help but sneak a peek at his snoozing best friend. It was a rare occasion for Yamaguchi to see Tsukki with his defenses so down. Normally Tsukki was the first to wake up. With his body less rigid and his normal frown nowhere to be seen, Yamaguchi had to admit that Tsukki was quite cute when he slept. He wished he got the chance to see it more often.

He thought about waking Tsukki up, letting him know he was now awake but he couldn't help but wonder how long Tsukki had been sitting there. Had Tsukki come back in the night? Had he come early in the morning? If he was sleeping in this chair now was he not able to get a good night rest? Yamaguchi brow furrowed with worry. Perhaps it was better to just let Tsukki sleep. Besides, he's not going to say no to a sleeping Tsukki.

Yamaguchi's gaze went from his snoozing best friend to the window. He could see that the sun was out with only a few clouds in the sky. The sun looked to be quite high so it wasn't terribly early. He scanned the room for a clock and saw one propped up on the far wall. It's long arms read 10:25. It'd been a while since he'd last been able to sleep in this late.

Next, Yamaguchi tried to sit up. He was happy to find that his body was in much less pain. A bit of soreness lingered here and there but he was able to sit up without a problem, but it seemed the act of him doing so woke Tsukki.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Tsukishima mumbled as he adjusted his glasses. He straightened himself up before examining Yamaguchi.

"You looked like you were having a nice dream," Yamaguchi teased, unable to fight back a smile.

A heavy frown settled on Tsukishima's lips as his cheeks went pink. He averted his eyes before mumbling "Well, wake me up next time."

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi quietly chuckled. The fear he felt last night seemed all but gone now that Yamaguchi was safe in a hospital room with Tsukki.

With a small 'hmph' Tsukishima stood up. "I'm going to let the doctor know you are awake," he explained before swiftly leaving the room.

Yamaguchi's smile didn't fade as he watched his friend rush out the door. Tsukishima always tried to act like he didn't care but he couldn't fool Yamaguchi. With a content sigh, he stroked Eevee's fur, thanking the stars he was blessed with Tsukki as a best friend.

It wasn't long before the doctor arrived back. Tsukki led the older female doctor into the room and stood to the side while the doctor addressed Yamaguchi.

"It's good to see you're awake and well," The Doctor greeted as she took the seat Tsukki had been sleeping in moments before. "I just want to do one last check before letting you go," she explained.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod before allowing the doctor to do what she needed to do. The procedure didn't take long and the doctor seemed quite pleased.

"You came here last night quite beat up," the Doctor said as she finished up. "But I can't find any serious injury. I'll give you some painkillers, so just take it easy for the next day or so and you should recover in no time."

Yamaguchi was relieved to find out that he had gotten away with just a few scrapes and bruises. There were several moments the night before where he thought for sure he was going to die. He was a hair away from never seeing Tsukki or his family ever again. If Tsukki and Iwaizumi hadn't come when they had, he would probably be in the middle of being brainwashed or possibly even dead and decomposing in some garbage dump.

Once the doctor was done she excused herself, telling the two that it was fine for Yamaguchi to leave when he felt up to it.

"Are you sure you don't want to rest more?" Tsukishima asked, his effort to hide his worry failing.

"The doctor said I am fine, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied as he slung his legs over the side of the bed. "I feel much better than I did last night!" he insisted with a large smile to emphasize that he was okay.

Tsukishima gave a skeptical look but didn't argue. He stood close to the bed, but tried to hide the fact that he was ready to catch Yamaguchi if he were to fall while trying to stand. Lucky for them both, Yamaguchi was able to stand just fine.

"See, all good," Yamaguchi said with a small bit of Jazz hands. "You're such a worry wart, Tsukki."

Tsukishima pouted as he scooped up Eevee from the bed. He knew when he was being teased. Normally he wouldn't take this from people but it was different when it came from Yamaguchi.

"Well, since you insist that you're all better, we need to stop by the Police Office," Tsukishima said, as he made to collect the few things in the room that belonged to them. "Officer Jenny and Iwaizumi are waiting for us."

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi said, his smile not as big as it had been. "I guess I haven't told them what happened last night, huh?" Yamaguchi gave a small shrug as his nerves began to act up.

"If you want to rest more-" Tsukishima quietly began, his tone laced with mild worry.

"I'm fine, Tsukki," Yamaguchi cut him off. "It's better if I just get it over with," He said with a forced smile.

"If you say so," Tsukishima shrugged. With that, he led Yamaguchi out of the room.

Once the two had collected everything they'd needed from the doctor the two headed out of the hospital and to the Police Office.

The Police Office was not too far away from the small Hospital Yamaguchi had spent the night in. It was about two building down the road. Geosenge town was not terribly large itself. Yamaguchi could see peeking out from behind the Police Office a large rock structure. He had once recalled reading about the structure, but at the moment could not remember it's origins.

When the two entered the small Police Office they were both greeted by Officer Jenny. She swiftly led them to a back room where Iwaizumi and Oikawa sat waiting. The two were quietly chatting to one another and it seemed that whatever Oikawa was going on about was annoying Iwaizumi.

"Not everything has to be proven by science, Iwa-chan!" Oikawa whined with an exaggerated pout. "Pokemon could have come from space!"

Iwaizumi released a sigh before taking notice of the two. "Oh, thank Arceus you're here," He mumbled.

"Sorry for the delay," Yamaguchi replied as he, Tsukki, and Officer Jenny took a seat at the round table Oikawa and Iwaizumi sat at.

"We are the ones that should apologize to you," Iwaizumi insisted, looking a bit guilty. "If we hadn't kept you two back you probably would have never been mixed up with the poachers."

Tsukishima gave an adamant nod of agreement.

"So, they were poachers?" Yamaguchi asked, unsure if that was the right assessment to make.

"Well, from what we found all they had done was set up traps," Office Jenny said with a nod.

"But we were wondering if maybe you knew anything else from your end?" Iwaizumi added on. "Were you caught in one of those traps by any chance?"

"No," Yamaguchi said with a shake of his head. He paused for a moment as he did his best to recall last night. "I just walked in on their camp and they jumped me. They used Hypnosis and when I woke up I was all tied up."

"I see," Officer Jenny hummed as she wrote down Yamaguchi's claims.

"Were you able to pick up on anything while they held you captive?" Iwaizumi prompted.

"When I woke up I heard them talking about the meteorite," Yamaguchi carried on. "They said they set those traps so it would be harder for you guys to pursue them once they got the meteorite."

"So they were after the meteorite the whole time!" Iwaizumi shouted as he stood from his seat.

Yamaguchi jumped back while Tsukishima frowned deeply.

"I knew their attack on the meteorite was premeditated," Oikawa hummed with a cocky smile.

Iwaizumi looked to Oikawa with a nod of agreement before quietly retaking his seat. "Was there anything else they talked about?" He asked Yamaguchi, his tone much more controlled.

Yamaguchi thought for another long minute. "The lady…" he started slowly. "Her name was Mika, they called her Admin Mika, and she talked about taking the stone back to the Boss. They wait it contained a lot of power… I don't really know what they were talking about."

"Boss?" Iwaizumi replied in surprise. "Could it be Team Flare again?"

"Team Flare was disbanded years ago and Lysandre, their original boss, died in an explosion," Officer Jenny cut in with a heavy frown.

"Did they ever find the body?" Oikawa asked conspiratorially, his mouth tugged with a smile.

"No!" Officer Jenny snapped back. "But Lysandre has been gone for years, so even if he were alive, why would he want to take the meteorite?"

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima sat back as they watched the two argue. Had Kalos really been home to an evil team? Were those two in the woods part of this Team Flare.

"It wouldn't hurt to check out all possibilities," Iwaizumi retorted, his tone even. "It's been a very long time since a theft such as this has occurred. The last time it happened was when Team Flare was at large."

"I suppose you have a point," Officer Jenny begrudgingly agreed. "We'll be sure to look into any mention of a Team Flare comeback."

Iwaizumi seemed pleased with this conclusion. With a curt nod, he relaxed in his chair a bit.

"We have already received a report of your injuries from the doctor," Officer Jenny said, turning to Yamaguchi. "Is there anything else you would like to report about the case?"

Yamaguchi thought for a long moment. "No, that's about it," he said with a small shake of his head. He was pretty sure he had told them all he could remember.

"And you will be here in Geosenge Town until the showcase that is due to be held in a few days?" Iwaizumi clarified.

"That is still the plan," Yamaguchi confirmed, glancing at Tsukki.

"Then we may contact you with more questions later in the week," Iwaizumi said with a nod. "And as an apology for all this mess you have booked you two a nice room in the town's only hotel."

Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile. They had forgotten to book a room before, so now they wouldn't have to sleep in a tent.

"Count yourself lucky," Oikawa added with a snoody nod. "When a showcase is held in a historical down like this the hotels are almost always full."

"Th-Thank you for booking us a room," Yamaguchi said with a small grateful bow.

"It's the least you could do," Tsukishima grumbled quietly.

"When you are as famous as I am, booking a hotel during an event is nothing terribly difficult," Oikawa replied with a pompous sigh. This earned him an elbow from Iwaizumi.

"We put the name under your's, Yamaguchi," Iwaizumi cut in, his stern eyes still lingering on Oikawa.

"Once again I want to apologize for the mess we got you two in," Iwaizumi reiterated. "But for the safety of both of you, it is probably best not to mention this incident to anyone."

Yamaguchi sent Iwaizumi a nervous look. He hoped to put last night behind him forever.

"He is right," Officer Jenny cut in. "We don't know who these crooks are or if they are part of a team so your safest bet is to not talk about it for now. People could be listening."

Are they implying that the team Admin Mika was on might be on the lookout for him? "Y-you d-don't have to w-worry about us t-talking," Yamaguchi sputtered, his nerves getting the best of him.

"We didn't mean to worry you," Office Jenny clarified, slightly shocked by Yamaguchi's reaction. "Anytime things like this happen we like to give the victim a warning just for safety reasons. Odds are those two people from the forest and whatever group they are from have forgotten all about you."

"R-right," Yamaguchi replied, unconvinced but smiling nonetheless.

An odd silence hung in the room. It seemed all had been said and done.

"Well, you two enjoy your stay at the hotel with the reservation I made for you," Oikawa sange.

Yamaguchi gave a very rigid nod while Tsukishima sent the older trainer a scowl.

With that, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima bid everyone a farewell. Iwaizumi even promised to come and see the showcase.

On their way to the hotel, the two walked in silence. Yamaguchi didn't want to admit it but he felt quite tired. He had a feeling Tsukki could tell for every few moments he'd glance Yamaguchi's way.

"Let's take it easy today," Tsukishima said as the two entered the small but beautiful hotel. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Okay," Yamaguchi agreed, sending Tsukki a small sweet smile. "The doctor did say to take it easy."

Author Notes:

Well there you have it. Yamaguchi is back and safe with Tsukki by his side. Lucky boy. I wonder if this incident will come back to haunt him ever… Regardless, Yamaguchi has other things to focus on beside this terrible trauma I put him through. Will he be able to work past this and be ready in time for the next showcase? Is he finally going to be able to win himself his second key!? That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned!

As always, thank you all so much for the kudos, bookmarks follows and the kind review and comments. I really do love to hear from your readers. Even if you are a lurker please do leave me a review or comment. Hearing from my readers really keeps me going. I love to know what you all think and how the story is coming across so let me know!

I can't help but feel like I made Oikawa a bit of a brat in this fic. I honestly fine Oikawa to be a great guy and very caring from his friends. I also feel like he can be a bit sassy and possibly rude to people he doesn't care about. I was also writing this from the perspective of Tsukki and Yamaguchi so they'd probably both find Oikawa a bit much. And as for Iwaizumi I think the guy is great but I feel like from the perspective of someone who isn't friends with him he probably comes across as a bit intense and intimidating. His true kindness only becomes apparent once you talk with him. From the perspective of Yamaguchi especially I imagine him being very intimidated by Iwa. The guy is big, sure of himself, and doesn't take crap from anyone. Probably why he gets on so well with Oikawa. He has the right personality to keep Oikawa in check when he goes to far. Probably in the same way Yamaguchi keeps Tsukki in check when Tsukki is being too…. Well, too Tsukki lol. Anyways...

That is all for today! I will see you all next chapter!


	41. Another Starry Dream

Hey all! Here is good old chapter 41! Who will we meet in this chapter? Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 41!

Another Starry Dream

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi spent the rest of the day relaxing in their hotel room. The 'hotel' they were staying in was more like an Inn with three floors. Despite it being so small it was once the largest building in town. The rooms were immaculately clean and decorated beautifully but not terribly spacious. To both of their surprises, they also found themselves faced with, yet again, only one large queen-sized bed. For two trainers as tall as they were, a queen-sized bed barely fit them both.

Yamaguchi would have felt more fluttery if he wasn't so exhausted from last evenings events. The idea that he had almost been kidnapped came back to him in waves. One second he'd be reading a book on Pokemon trivia and the next he'd feel a shiver run down his spine. Tsukki always seemed to pick up on those moments and would ask him a simple question, helping Yamaguchi break from his own mind.

Yamaguchi unintentionally turned in early that night. The two had gone out to dinner and upon arriving back to the hotel room, Yamaguchi had immediately passed out on the bed. He hadn't a clue that Tsukishima had delicately helped him into his pajamas and tucked him in for the night. If he had known, he surely would have died of embarrassment.

Yamaguchi found himself in a dark wooded area. His arms and legs were bound by rope, just as they had been the night before. He blinked his eyes to find a smoldering campfire in front of his face. He he came to his senses in a panic, and when he looked around he found himself in a camp very similar to the one that had belonged to Admin Mika and those grunts.

Yamaguchi's pulse increased tenfold as he did his best to fight his bindings only to find that he didn't even have the power to move. Try as he might, his arms and legs didn't budge an inch. His mind raced as he tried to comprehend what was happening. How did he get here? Why couldn't he move? Did they paralyze him?

As his mind went wild with questions he became vaguely aware of voices off in the distance.

"It can't run from us forever," came the frustrated voice of Admin Mika. Yamaguchi froze as her voice echoed through the camp, almost as if she were talking through a microphone.

Yamaguchi waited for her and whoever she was with to enter the campsite, but the site remained empty despite their voices sounding so close. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he did his best to brace himself for whatever was to come.

"It's got to be over this way," Admin Mika spoke again, her sharp words filling the area.

Yamaguchi felt his heart pound like mad against his chest. The sudden need to run filled his veins. Suddenly, inexplicably, he knew that he was their target.

"This way, you idiot, over here!" Admin Mika's voice echoed loudly, sounding like she was almost right on top of Yamaguchi.

With a sudden pulse of fight or flight, Yamaguchi gave a great jerk against his restraints only for them to disappear into dust. He quickly sat up, looking around to find that not a trace of the rope was left. His eyes scanned the camp, which was completely empty, as if it had been abandoned for days.

'Run!' the command was like a whisper, but it was like it sent a jolt of electricity through Yamaguchi.

The next thing Yamaguchi knew he was on his feet, tearing through an unfamiliar forest. The trees seem to grow and shrink in size as he tried to make as much distance between himself and the campsite. The starry sky glowed an ominous purple glow that Yamaguchi didn't care to notice. He hadn't a clue of where he was going but he did know he couldn't stay put.

"That way!" Admin Mika's voice boomed, echoing off the forest trees. "It's gone that way!"

Yamaguchi almost screamed as the booming voice washed over him like an ocean wave. Admin Mika was just behind him. He couldn't see her, but he could feel her. She was closing in.

"Block it off at that cliff" Admin Mika commanded to an unknown second person.

Yamaguchi could see no one around him, but he made a sudden left turn nonetheless. Their presence was right on top of him, and he knew if they caught him he'd be in big trouble.

"I see it! It's right there," Admin Mika shouted, her voice so close Yamaguchi swore he felt her breath on his ear.

In his panic he gave a small shout, wanting to cry out to Tsukki, yet when he opened his mouth it wasn't his voice that he heard but the voice of someone else. It was a chime-like cry he had heard from somewhere before. While Yamaguchi couldn't understand what he'd just heard coming from his own mouth, he knew what it wanted.

"Help me!"

Yamaguchi stopped in his tracks and as he did so the forest around him began to fade.

"It's just over there! Don't let it get away!" Admin Mika's voice faded along with the forest.

Yamaguchi's heart pounded in his chest as the forest faded into stars. His fear turned into confusion as he looked to his hands to find them fading into stars as well.

"Help me!" the voice echoed in his mind as everything around him trund to space dust and twinkling stars.

With a small jerk, Yamaguchi jolted awake. He was drenched in sweat and his heart was pounding like crazy against his chest. His eyes darted this way and that only to find that he was indeed in the same hotel room he had fallen asleep in.

It had just been a dream.

Yamaguchi took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. Of course it had been a dream. Perhaps the incident from last night had affected him more than he had expected. He took several more shaky breaths as he tried to calm himself. As he did so he became aware of an arm gently draped over his middle. He didn't need to look to know who it belonged to.

Yamaguchi's heart began to beat aggressively once more, but this time for a much nicer reason. Yamaguchi could feel Tsukishima's warm breath against his neck. Butterflies filled his stomach as he dare not turn around. He gave a very small wiggle as he relaxed into the unintentional snuggle. He savored the feeling as it helped him release after such a stressful nightmare. The feeling of Tsukki being so close only confirmed that he was indeed safe. It had only been a dream.

It was when Tsukishima shifted ever so slightly that Yamaguchi came to his senses. It wasn't fare to use Tsukki like this. Even if Tsukki was the big spoon in this situation, it wasn't responsible for their friendship if Yamaguchi took advantage of this unintentional snuggle. With a defeated sigh, Yamaguchi wiggled out of the gentle embrace and off of the bed.

Without looking back at Tsukishima, he quietly shuffled his way to the bathroom. Splashing some cold water on his face, he allowed himself to try and recall the dream. He had this vague feeling that he wasn't himself in the dream. It was almost as if he had been seeing and feeling someone else's situation. It had felt so real, like he had actually lived it. Had he dreamt like this before? It felt familiar but he couldn't remember.

Yamaguchi splashed handfuls of cold water onto his face in an attempt to wash the odd feeling away. The action definitely woke him up but the feeling seemed to settle into him like a rock in a pool of water. It had to be the stress from last night still affecting him.

Yamaguchi looked at himself in the mirror. His face dipped with water but he could see large bags under his eyes and a nasty bruise under his left eye that reached all the way down to his cheek. Looking to his hands he could see the remnants of angry red rope burns decorating his wrists. His body still ached from being jostled about so much. It haunted him how vulnerable he had been and how easy it had been for them to overtake him.

He allowed himself a few more moments to calm down. Once he felt his heart return to its normal rhythm, he made his way out of the bathroom. Through the dark, he could make out that Tsukki had rolled over in his sleep. He wouldn't say he wasn't a little disappointed. He carefully slipped back into bed, rolling over to face Tsukki. He made sure to keep a respectable distance between himself and his best friend, but even from where he lay he could smell that comforting scent that was Tsukki. It always calmed him down and helped him feel safe. He unconsciously scooted closer to his best friend. As long as he was by Tsukki's side, he had nothing to worry about. When that thought settled in his heart, he allowed sleep to overtake him once more.

When Yamaguchi woke late the next morning he found himself quite alone in bed. Tsukki sat in an armchair as he read from his tablet. In his lap lay Eevee fast asleep. Despite last night's odd nightmare, Yamaguchi felt well-rested. His heart was light and he felt ready for the day. It was almost as if the horrible dream had never happened.

The two trainers took their time getting ready that morning. Tsukishima made no indication of knowing that Yamaguchi had woken in the middle of the night, and Yamaguchi had decided not to mention the event. He honestly wanted to put it all behind him. He needed to focus on the future now. He only had two days until the showcase was to be held. It wasn't much time, so he needed to use it wisely.

Once the two were dressed they made their way out of the hotel and to a small clearing just outside the town. Yamaguchi wanted to focus on improving his routine during daylight hours. He knew that if he and Popplio didn't practice every day they would forget the steps eventually. He also hoped to add a bit more pizazz to it if he could.

Tsukishima worked on the other side of the clearing with his full team of Pokemon. Once the showcase was over, the two would make their way over to Shalour City for his next gym battle. Yamaguchi couldn't help but admire how wonderful Tsukishima was when it came to training. He could only dream of commanding his pokemon as effortlessly as Tsukki does.

It was late afternoon when the two took a break for lunch. They sat amongst their Pokemon, as all enjoyed a homemade picnic from Yamaguchi.

"How is your routine coming along?" Tsukishima asked from beside Yamaguchi.

"Fine, I suppose," Yamaguchi sighed as he looked to the clear blue sky. The warm sun shone down on his bruised freckled cheeks causing him to squint.

"Is something the matter?" Tsukishima pushed, trying to sound disinterested.

Yamaguchi gave a thoughtful hum as he considered the question. "I don't really know honestly," Yamaguchi replied with another sigh. "I just feel off, I guess."

"It has been a stressful 48 hours," Tsukishima quietly pointed out.

"I suppose you're right," Yamaguchi said, looking to his friend. "If you're not busy would you mind giving my routine a look and giving some feedback?"

"Sure," Tsukishima replied with a small shrug.

"Thanks, Tsukki. You're the best," Yamaguchi sang. He couldn't hide his bright smile as he did so.

Tsukishima averted his gaze as he gave another small shrug.

Yamaguchi returned his attention to his meal, a half-eaten rice ball. Just the idea of Tsukki helping him a little filled his heart with joy and his stomach with Butterfrees. It was at that moment that a small blue flower fell into his lap. Yamaguchi gave a gasp as he looked to the flower that clearly looked like it had grown from the ground and not a tree. Before his thoughts could go any further, he felt something tug at the pesky cowlick that often stuck up on the top of his head.

"Flabé," came the happy cry of a Flabébé as it latched onto Yamaguchi's hair.

"W-What!?" Yamaguchi gasped. He couldn't see it but he was pretty sure a Flabébé had mistaken his head for its flower.

Yamaguchi glanced over to see Tsukishima examining the small fairy type Pokemon.

"Oh no! Flabébé! Come back!"

Yamaguchi turned to see a winded Yachi jogging to where the two sat. Hinata, who was not winded whatsoever, bounced beside her.

"Oh crap!" Tsukishima grumbled darkly.

"Yachi!" Yamaguchi greeted with a gentle wave of his hand so as to not disturb Flabébé.

"Yamaguchi! Tsukishima!" Hinata shouted as he jetted off from beside Yachi towards them.

"Arceus, no!' Tsukishima groaned, looking away in disgust. "Not him."

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh as he glanced over at Tsukki.

"Wow, it really is you two!" Hinata sang as he came up on them both. "What a small world! Who would have thought you two would be here."

"Hey, Hinata," Yamaguchi kindly greeted as he stood. "I take it you two are here for the Showcase?"

"Yup!" Hinata chirped. "Yachi plans to join it."

"H-Hinata," Yachi gasped as she came up beside him. "I c-can't run th-that fast." She looked as if she was about to pass out.

"Sorry, Yachi!" Hinata giggled. "I guess I got excited."

"Why don't you join us in the shade and catch your breath," Yamaguchi offered, motioning to their picnic blanket.

Tsukishima glowered at them but said nothing.

Without a word, Yachi collapsed onto the blanket.

"Hey, look Yachi, Yamaguchi found Flabébé," Hinata pointed out as he took a seat next to the girl.

"So this little guy is yours?" Yamaguchi asked, taking his seat next to Tsukki.

"She keeps running off," Yachi sighed as she sat up. She seemed to be much less winded. "No matter how hard we try, no flower seems to be good enough for her."

"She seems to really like your hair though," Hinata pointed out loudly.

Flabébé gave a small trill of agreement.

"Flabébé! Yamaguchi is not a flower!" Yachi scolded gently. "Now, get off his head and back onto the flower you insisted was the right one yesterday."

Flabébé gave a small sad cry from atop Yamaguchi's head. Yamaguchi could feel her give a tug of resistance to his hair.

"It's fine if she wants to stay up there for now," Yamaguchi said with an awkward laugh. He looked to his side to see a pouting Eevee. She eyed the small fairy type that was getting so close to her beloved trainer.

"I suppose she can stay up there for now, but she'll have to come down eventually," Yachi sighed like a tired mother.

Yamaguchi gave a soft laugh. Perhaps this Flabébé was just as much a handful as his Eevee.

Yamaguchi than noticed Hinata staring right at him, his eyes unblinking. The shorter trainer's face was much more serious than it had been as he examined Yamaguchi. It was then that he also noticed Yachi fidget as she too look his way, though a bit more discreetly. Yamaguchi shifted where he sat, wondering why they had both suddenly gone so silent.

"Did Tsukishima hit you or something?" Hinata bluntly asked, his eyes glaring at the accused Tsukishima.

"Hinata!" Yachi scolded in a low hiss.

Yamaguchi could feel a wave of angry heat flair of from beside him as Tsukki's growled a low "What did you just say?"

Yamaguchi was quite confused by the question. Why would Hinata think Tsukki had hit him?

"N-No, Tsukki didn't hit me?" Yamaguchi found himself replying, his voice full of confusion.

Yachi and Hinata exchanged worried and unconvinced looks. As they did so Yamaguchi could feel the anger welling up in Tsukki from beside him. It than dawned on Yamaguchi, they must be referring the bruises on his face he had received from Admin Mika. He had sort of hoped they'd have gone un noticed

"No! This bruside is not from Tsukki," Yamaguchi insisted once more, this time his tone a lot more adamant.

Once more Yachi and Hinata exchanged looks before Hinata sent Tsukki another accusatory glance.

"You got something to say?" Tsukishima growled, there was definant murder in his voice.

"Tsukki did not give me these bruises!" Yamaguchi insisted once more, this time physically putting himself between Hinata and Tsukki.

"If Saltyshima isn't the culprit than how did you get them?" Hinata asked scaptically.

Yamaguchi didn't know if he was in the mood to talk about his run in with Mika and the Grunt. He was also wanted not to talk about the incident with others. While he did trust Hinata and Yachi, he didn't want to get them involved in anything. He was hoping to just forget all about it himself.

"Don't worry Yamaguchi," Yachi cut in softly. "We don't think Tsukishima hit you and you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, right Hinata," as she said this she sent Hinata a rare sharp look.

"Fine," Hinata agreed letting his guard down quite a bit. "And sorry for prying."

"Its okay," Yamagchi said as he relaxed a bit, too. He could still sense that Tsukki was upset but was calming down. "I'm sure you two were just looking out for me."

"But if Tsukki ever does hit you..." Hinata started in a very protective but partially comedic manner.

"You'll what?" Tsukishima challenged, ready for a fight with the shorter trainer.

"Thanks, Hinata, but I can pretty much guarantee that Tsukki would never hit me," Yamaguchi cut in before the situation could escalate any further. "And I'd appreciate it if we dropped the subject," he added just to make it clear that he was done talking about his face.

A beat of silence hung between the group. Tsukki was still quite upset by what Hinata had said and Yachi seemed to be embarrassed by the whole situation. Was Hinata always this blunt and confrontational with people. He must be a handful for Yachi.

"So, Yama, you're here for the showcase as well?" Hinata chirped, his mood changing faster than Yamaguchi could follow.

"Why else would we be here," Tsukishima sassed, unable to contain himself.

"Hey, no one asked you, Saltyshima!" Hinata snapped, pouting at Tsukishima as he did so.

"Yeah, we just got here yesterday," Yamaguchi replied as he did his best to stifle a snicker.

"I'm really nervous for this showcase," Yachi said with dread. "I have only been able to win one key. I just keep failing."

"Yeah, it's been hard for me too," Yamaguchi sighed. He was happy to have a kindred spirit in Yachi.

"I saw your performance at Camphrier town. It was amazing, Yamaguchi!" Yachi gushed with sparkling eyes. "The key I won was just pure luck. Not many showed up to the showcase, and I just got lucky that everyone was new just like me," she carried on with a frown.

"That's not true, Yachi," Hinata insisted with great vigor. "You won it because you're adorable and amazing!"

"Thanks, Hinata," Yachi mumbled, unconvinced but grateful nonetheless.

"Yeah, I bet you shone on the stage," Yamaguchi agreed earnestly.

"Not nearly as much as you and Popplio shone when you performed that amazing routine," Yachi sighed. "I just don't know how to create such wonderful beauty."

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink at the compliment. "Well, I have been getting advice and inspiration from lots of people," Yamaguchi admitted. "Isn't there anyone who can give you feedback and such?"

"I do all the time!" Hinata chirped.

"Explains why she can't win," Tsukishima muttered.

"Hey! What was that?" Hinata snapped.

"If you want we can practice together, Yachi," Yamaguchi suggested. "I am not a showcase master by any means, but maybe it'll help."

"Oh, Yamaguchi! You're so kind," Yachi cried as she gave Yamaguchi a sloppy hug.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but blush as Yachi ugly cried several 'thank yous'.

"Any t-time, Yachi," Yamaguchi awkwardly replied as the small girl pulled herself off him. All the while Tsukki leered at the two.

"Hey, maybe you and I can train together, too!" Hinata said with excitement, looking to Tsukishima.

"Over my dead body!" Tsukishima snapped back.

"Aw, come on! I haven't been able to battle with anyone in days," Hinata whined.

"No!" Tsukishima growled. "I need to train! I don't have time to babysit some hyper child!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Hinata barked as he glared at Tsukishima.

"Where is Kageyama?" Yamaguchi asked, looking around for the third member of their party.

An odd silence hung between Yachi and Hinata, and Yamaguchi suddenly felt like maybe he shouldn't have asked. Tsukishima didn't seem to care, though.

"Well, you see, Kageyama-" Yachi began slowly.

"Who cares about that jerk!" Hinata cut in sharply. "We don't need him," he added with a pout.

Yamaguchi knew that Hinata and Kageyama weren't always at peace, but he had assumed them to be friends. What had happened?

"Oh, trouble in paradise?" Tsukishima mocked.

Hinata glared at Tsukishima, which only gratified the taller trainer.

"Fine, I guess I don't need to train with you!" Hinata snapped before standing up. "I can train on my own!" he said before stomping off into the clearing.

"Kageyama split ways with us a few days ago," Yachi delicately explained. "Hinata and Kageyama had trouble at Shalour Gym. They both lost."

"Both of them lost?" Yamaguchi echoed in surprise.

"They both lost twice in a row," Yachi carried on in a very melancholy tone. "Neither could knock out Korrina's first Pokemon. She seems to be a very strong gym leader."

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki in mild worry. Tsukki didn't seem phased by this news.

"Wow, that sounds hard. I guess we have heard that Korrina is a tough gym leader," Yamaguchi hummed.

Yachi gave a quiet nod before carrying on. "I don't know what happened. I think maybe Kageyama and Hinata fought. The day after they lost for the second time Kageyama was just gone."

"Sounds rough," Yamaguchi sighed as he watched Hinata give commands to his Charmeleon and Pikachu. "And you haven't heard from Kageyama since?"

"Not a word as far as I know," Yachi sighed. "I think the gym battle gave them both a slap to reality."

"Do you think Kageyama has given up?" Yamaguchi asked with dread in his voice.

"No, I think he was just frustrated and decided not to travel with us anymore," Yachi said dejectedly.

"It's most likely Hinata he was sick of being around," Tsukishima flatly cut in. "I don't blame him for it."

"I'm sure Kageyama will come around eventually," Yamaguchi insisted. "You are all such good friends after all."

"I suppose you're right," Yachi shrugged, thought she still looked quite worried.

A moment of silence hung between the three. Yamaguchi was unsure of what else to say. He honestly didn't know Kageyama that well to begin with.

"Hey, why don't we practice our routines together for a bit," Yamaguchi suggested with as much pep as he could.

Yachi slapped herself lightly in the face. "Right! I have to focus on this showcase! I can't lose another one!"

With a bright smile, Yamaguchi gave an approving nod. He too needed to do his best. He couldn't fall behind any further.

Author Notes:

Well now, Hinata and Yachi are back and Yachi is here for the showcase. Who else might show up at this show case? I wonder who is going to win the key this time around? Can Yamaguchi do it!? Also, what was up with that dream!? What's going on with you Yamaguchi!? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all, I hope you enjoyed chapter 41! As always I love to hear from my readers so do leave a comment or review down below. Also, I want to thank you all for all the likes, Kudos, follows and bookmarks. Any feedback is great for a writer so do let me know what you think.

Next week's chapter should be up in time as always. I wonder what sort of shenanigans are going to befall Yamaguchi next :P

Well, that's all for now! See you next chapter.


	42. Geosenge Showcase: Part 1

Hey everyone! Here is good old chapter 42. Let's see what Yamaguchi's next showcase has in store for him! I'm so excited to find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 42!

Geosenge Showcase: Part 1

Yamaguchi would be a liar if he didn't admit to being more nervous than ever for this showcase. After losing his last showcase and the enormous amount of stress he had been through in the past week, he was not as composed as he would like to be. He had started the day by meeting Yachi and Hinata for breakfast before heading to the showcase stadium.

The breakfast table would have been dead silent if Hinata hadn't been there to yammer away about his strategy to beat Korrina the next time he challenged her. Yamaguchi was far too nervous to even form coherent thoughts and from the look of it, Yachi was in a similar situation. Tsukki sat beside Yamaguchi with a twitching eyebrow that went wild anytime Hinata used a sound effect to vaguely describe his strategies. Both Yamaguchi and Yachi were far too distracted to pay the smaller trainer any mind, but it was a wonder that Tsukki didn't toss his half-eaten pancake at Hinata and storm off.

Yamaguchi could see the tension release from Tsukishima's shoulders when breakfast finally ended and they headed off to the showcase hall. Yamaguchi was quite fidgety and hung close to Tsukki as they made their way over. All sorts of worries passed through his mind like rapid fire. What if it was another game show style first round? He had studied a bit but had he retained anything? What if it was a fashion challenge? His sewing skills were still subpar and honestly, he was a fashion disaster. What if the challenge was baking again, but he became too nervous and set the place on fire? This thought sent a shiver down his spine.

"Stop worrying," Tsukishima muttered from beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi's best friend's words shook him out of his thoughts. He looked to find Tsukki giving him a slightly stern side-eye.

"There is no point in working yourself up. It will only cause you to get clumsy," Tsukishima calmly carried on. Though his face seemed stone cold, his voice held no malice or annoyance.

Yamaguchi knew when Tsukki was doing his best to comfort him. "Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said with a sigh. "I guess I'm not as ready as I would have liked to have been."

"It happens to everyone," Tsukishima replied, returning his gaze to the road ahead.

Yamaguchi replied with a quiet nod. He was well aware that he wasn't going to be the only one in the showcase who was on edge. Just in front of him, he had seen Yachi stumble over her own feet three times and bump headfirst into Hinata at least twice. In a way, it was comforting to know he wasn't the only hot mess.

It wasn't long before they all arrived at the showcase hall. It was a rather large looking building on the edge of town. It looked quite new, like it had been built in the past year or so. After the disaster caused by Team Flair over a decade ago much of Geosenge Town had been developed with only a few original building still standing. The large crystal structure still stood in the center of the town reminding all of the damage the evil team had caused all those years ago.

Once inside the building Yamaguchi bid Tsukki a farewell, but chose to keep Eevee with him. He hoped that he'd be able to use her in the first contest. She had helped him out a few times in cooking, so she'd be able to help out there. He hoped that whatever the first round was it would be something he could use Eevee in.

"Are you sure about this?" Tsukishima asked, shocked by the decision.

"Well, she has to debut eventually, so why not now?" Yamaguchi replied with a nervous laugh. He knew Eevee was still young but she has been showing a lot more interest in his showcase training ever since he won his first key.

Eevee seemed more than happy about this decision. She sat with a large smile in Yamaguchi's arms. It was almost as if she was sending Tsukki a sneer as she did so.

"Well, good luck out there," Tsukishima hummed, still a bit unconvinced but not questioning his best friend's decision.

"Th-Thanks," Yamaguchi replied with a nervous laugh.

With that, Yamaguchi parted ways with Tsukki and headed into the men's changing room. Unlike the last competition he was a part of, the venue was much larger and thus contained a changing room for the contestants. The room was filled to the brim with trainers. Weaving his way through the crowd, Yamaguchi located the locker he had been assigned and didn't waste any time changing.

He placed Eevee on a small stool beside him as he removed his day clothes for his showcase costume, the beautiful blue suit he had received from Shimada. He quickly slipped the pants on leaving them unbuttoned so he could easily tuck his shirt in. Rummaging through his bag he located a clean undershirt and as he pulled it out he felt a very cold puff of air brush past his ear.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our freckle-faced rookie from the Camphrier Showcase," hissed the voice of none other than Tendō. Without turning, Yamaguchi knew the older trainer was right up against him.

Fear bubbled in Yamaguchi's stomach as he quickly turned to face the terrifying man. His bare back slammed against the cold locker wall as he came face to face with Tendō. Yamaguchi felt his voice wither away as Tendō wild eyes looked down upon him. From behind Tendō, Yamask floated like a small storm cloud, it's red eyes looking curiously at Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel his breakfast begin to resurface as he lost his nerve.

"I'm surprised you would be so brave as to show up at the same competition as me," Tendō hissed, his lips curling into a large smile. He seemed to enjoy the fear he was inflicting upon Yamaguchi. "And it looks like someone got to your pretty little face before I could," he smiled as he examined the large bruise on Yamaguchi's face.

Yamaguchi tried to muster up the will to snap back but his voice betrayed him. From the stool beside him, he could hear Eevee release a growl, which was ignored by Tendō. She didn't take too kindly to someone threatening her mother.

With his shirt off and pants still unzipped, Yamaguchi felt terribly exposed. It was absolutely not how he wanted to face Tendō the next time he met with him. Tendō seemed to be taking much joy in the situation.

"I did say I would smash you into the ground the next time we met," Tendō hissed, his eyes glowing like wild as his face contorted into a malicious smile. He placed a hand upon the locker wall just beside Yamaguchi's face as he brought himself nose to nose with the horrified trainer. "Should I just get it over with now and add on to your little collections of bruises, or wait until we are on stage to do it?" as he spoke, it looked like a dark aura haloed around his head.

At those words, Yamaguchi felt himself shrink back even more. He released a very pathetic sound that would surely embarrass him when he thought back on it later. His heart wasn't ready for such a confrontation. Why did Tendō of all people have to be there? Why was Yamaguchi such a magnet for this sort of treatment?

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" Noya sharply shouted from just behind Tendō.

Tendō, a bit surprised, reared back as he turned to see who would dare talk to him in such a way.

Like an ocean wave, Yamaguchi felt relief fill his every crevice. His body still full of adrenaline, he shook on the spot, as he watched Noya, who was standing on a stool to be face to face with Tendō, size up the other trainer. He wore an electric yellow blazer over a white button-up shirt. Around his neck was a royal purple bow tie that matched his purple pants. His hair was styled up in its normal messy fashion.

"What's it to you, shorty?" Tendō hissed upon sizing up Noya.

"Nobody is allowed to pick on my protege, Yamaguchi, like this," Noya snapped back. He didn't show a single ounce of fear despite Tendō being so much taller than he.

"Protege?" Tendō snorted as he didn't even bother to hold back his laughter. "You're a protege to this pathetic excuse of a trainer?" as he spoke he twisted his head in a very unnatural way. "What can a pipsqueak like you teach anyone?"

It would seem Yamaguchi wasn't the only person Tendō antagonized. If Yamaguchi were a braver trainer he would have yelled at Tendō for insulting Noya so. Unfortunately, he was still too scared to find his voice.

"What was that?" Noya growled, standing tall upon the stool. "At least I don't have a scary face," he retorted like a child. Yamaguchi nonetheless admired Noya for even standing up to Tendō like this.

Tendō reared back with a booming laugh. "Oh, I'm so insulted," he belted out loudly.

Many of the other trainers in the dressing room were now staring at the three. Yamauchi worried that perhaps they were making too much of a scene. If he wasn't so horrified, he definitely would have scolded the two for being so loud.

"You think you're so tough, don't you?" Noya barked, falling to Tendō's bait. He puffed up as his eyes filled with angry sparks. "I could take you on no problem!"

"Sorry but I don't fight children," Tendō smoothly shot back, knowing just how to get to Noya despite only just meeting him.

If Noya were a volcano than everyone in the dressing room would have died from the explosion that erupted from his head. Fire flared in his eyes as he failed to find the correct retort. This seemed to amuse Tendō even further.

"Tendō, are you picking a fight again?" A trainer with ash-colored air and sharp brown eyes asked as he rounded the corner.

Yamaguchi's eyes shot to the newcomer. At first, he almost mistook the guy for Sugawara in appearance alone. Upon further examination it was obvious that this trainer was not Sugawara. He had a deep frown and though he and Sugawara had similar hair color this man's hair ended in dark tips. His sharp brown eyes stared daggers at the three before landing on Tendō.

"Awww, Semi, I'm only making friends," Tendō hummed innocently, backing off of both Noya and Yamaguchi.

Semi frown deepened. He obviously did not believe a single word Tendō said. "You'll get disqualified if you keep antagonizing other contestants like this," he warned, though his facial expression didn't really seem to show much care in the matter.

"It's only good old rivalry, right," Tendō insisted as he put a buddy buddy arm around Yamaguchi's bare shoulders.

Yamaguchi quickly made to get away but found Tendō pulling him closer. His stomach filled with fire like fear as he felt his cheek press against Tendō's own freezing cold cheek. He was not okay with this amount of physical contact. Semi could clearly see this as he sent the two a flat disapproving look.

"See, we are besties," Tendō sang, still holding Yamaguchi in his awkwardly long arms. "Right, freckles?"

Yamaguchi felt his breakfast threaten to spew all over the changing room floor. He wanted nothing more than for Tendō to let him go. From behind he could hear Eevee give a pathetic threatening bark, only aiding in making Yamaguchi feel more useless. His baby Pokemon had more balls than he did.

Thankfully, someone showed a bit of mercy for poor petrified Yamaguchi. "Tendō, let him go and let's get out of here before you get into any more trouble," Semi sighed.

"Yeah, get lost," Noya barked from the sideline.

"You three are far too serious," Tendō said as he released Yamaguchi, tossing him into the locker wall. "I was just joking around," he mumbled with a small shrug.

Semi didn't seem to buy it. Noya released a loud scoff. Yamaguchi back up hard against the locker wall in an attempt to distance himself from Tendō. Tendō looked at the three in mild amusement.

"Fine, I know when I'm not wanted," Tendō shrugged once more. "I guess you can count yourself lucky being saved once again," he added a he looked down upon Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go red with shame. This seemed to please Tendō.

"I'll see you two on stage I suppose," Tendō sighed as he turned his back to them and headed out of the changing rooms.

Semi gave a small bow in what was most likely meant to be an apology before following after Tendō.

Yamaguchi's eyes sat fixed on the door where Tendō had just exited. He heart still beat heavily against his chest. Several people were sending glances his way, only causing him to fill with more shame. He must look like such a loser at the moment. It was only when Eevee's wet nose pressed against his hand that he broke eye contact from the door. He looked down to find the small shiny pokemon sending him a very concerned look. Yamaguchi felt his heart sink a bit as he patted Eevee's soft head.

"Man, that guy is a pain!" Noya sighed as he leaped from the stool and landed just beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi jumped only a bit from the sudden action. He was still quite shaken from the confrontation but with Tendō now out of sight he felt his heart return to its normal beat.

"Th-thanks for helping me," Yamaguchi quietly replied, his cheeks still red with shame.

"Hey, that's what mentors are for," Noya smiled as he gave Yamaguchi's bare back a hearty smack.

The loud sound of a hand on skin caught the attention on nearby contestants who sent them both varied looks of concern and annoyance. Yamaguchi did his best to ignore them.

"Dang, it's never a dull moment for you, is it?" Noya said with a bright smile. "But you can't let assholes like him get to you. He's probably all bark and no bite."

Yamaguchi was a tender soul at heart. Confrontation wasn't his thing. Tendō could turn out to be made of cotton candy and glitter and Yamaguchi still wouldn't want to fight him. This thought only made him feel even worse. Why did Noya have to witness how much of a coward he was?

"Well, are you ready for the competition today?" Noya cheered. He seemed to already be fully over the Tendō confrontation.

Yamaguchi could feel his pulse heighten at the mention of the competition. "I guess so," he replied with very little confidence.

"Hey, no need to look so down, Yamaguchi!" Noya said as he gave Yamaguchi's back another pat, this time much softer. "Getting down is what Tendō wanted out of you so don't let him win."

Yamaguchi looked to Noya to find a very earnest smile. Noya was right. If he chickened out now than Tendō would get exactly what he wanted out of him. With a nod, he sent Noya a quiet smile.

"I'm not ready to give up," Yamaguchi confirmed, standing up a bit taller.

"That's what I like to hear," Noya smiled. "Now you better finish getting dressed. It's almost time for everyone to gather."

Yamaguchi had almost forgotten that he was still only halfway dressed. With a small eep, he turned back to his locker and proceed to put his undershirt on the wrong way, getting his head stuck in the shirt sleeve.

With a little help from Noya, Yamaguchi was dressed in no time. He really was grateful to have such a reliable Senpai. Noya might be rough and a bit wild but he really did look out for others in a way that made Yamaguchi feel safe when around him.

As the two exited the dressing room and entered the waiting room they made sure to steer clear of Semi and Tendō. The two trainers had parked themselves in a far corner of the waiting room. Tendō eyes met Yamaguchi's for only a moment and this time Yamaguchi did his best not to flinch away.

"There you are!" Yachi squeaked upon finding Yamaguchi. "You were taking so long to get changed I was worried something happened."

Yamaguchi turned to find Yachi wearing a sparkling lavender dress that ended mid-thigh. The poofy sleeves of the dress barely cupped over her shoulders and were adorned with a frilly white lace that matched the trim of her fluffy skirt. The neck of the dress scooped low revealing a bit of her shoulders. The bodice was adorned with iridescent flower sequins that glittered under the fluorescent light. Around her neck was a lavender choker that matched the dress and from it hung a small silver flower charm. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail that sat nearly on the top of her head. An adorable lavender ribbon sat at the base of her ponytail only intensifying how adorable Yachi looked in her showcase outfit. On her feet, she wore silk lavender flats that reminded Yamaguchi of Ballet slippers. If you were to ask Yamaguchi, Yachi looked like a delicate spring flower.

"Sorry Yachi, I got a little caught up I guess," Yamaguchi reluctantly replied as he held Eevee close. Should he tell her about Tendō? The last thing he wanted to do was worry Yachi. Before he could make up his mind Noya had decided to take the spotlight.

"And who might this cute young lady be?" Noya asked with an eyebrow wiggle. "Have you been holding out on me, Yamaguchi?"

Yachi's cheeks went bright pink at the compliment as she and Yamaguchi exchanged very surprised looks.

"Th-this is Yachi!" Yamaguchi sputtered, his cheeks pink but not nearly as pink as Yachi's. "She is a friend of mine?"

"A friend, huh?" Noya pressed as he gave Yamaguchi's rib a suggestive nudge.

"We are just friends," Yachi squeaked, her high voice catching the attention of a few other trainers. "We are nothing more than that." She looked around the area as if she were afraid someone specific might of heard Noya.

"You two are too cute," Noya laughed, rearing back a bit. "I already know Yamaguchi is taken."

"Taken?" Yachi and Yamagucih squeaked in unison.

This seemed to amuse Noya but before he could explain himself, Takeda entered the room. His quickly cleaned his voice to gain the attention of everyone in the room.

"I'm very pleased to see so many trainer's competing in today's showcase," Takeda greeted with a smile. "Now could you all gather around so I can inform you of the theme of today's first round."

Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a flip. He looked down to Eevee, hoping the theme was something she would excel at. He prayed that it wasn't an agility based theme.

The group of about 30 contestants gathered around Takeda. Takeda looked over the group with a broad smile. He only had to wait a moment for the group of trainers to calm down.

"Today's first round will be a fashion theme," He said with a broad smile.

Yamaguchi felt both joy and worry at this. He hadn't participated in a fashion theme yet but this was definitely something Eevee could participate in.

"We will split you all into three groups of ten. Group one will go first, followed by group two and so on," Takeda explained. He looked to a screen in the room that showed a chart with three rows to represent the groups. With a snap of his fingers and a press of a button, photos of the contestant showed up under each group.

Yamaguchi found himself sorted into group 2 along with Semi. He then noticed that poor Yachi had been placed in group one with Tendō. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to warn her of that guy.

"For today's fashion competition you will each be given a small tent filled with an array of fabric and accessories. You are only to use the accessories and items provided in the tent for todays fashion show. You will have 30 minutes to construct a look before you are to present the look to the crowd. You will be judged on both appeal and how functional the look is for the Pokemon to move in," Takeda carried on. "Our panel of judges will choose one contestant from each group as the winner to move on to stage two."

Yamaguchi felt his stomach do another flip. He still wasn't the most fashion forward person around. Would he be able to construct a sufficient look in such a short amount of time? The subject was still so new for him. He looked down to find Eevee's shining eyes studying him with mild worry. He couldn't get anxious now. He needed to be strong for Eevee.

"The contestants for group one will be gathered and brought on stage in 20 minutes so please ready yourselves group one contestants," Takeda ended and with that he excused himself from the room.

"Why me!" Yachi cried from beside Yamaguchi. Her voice was loud and shrill with anxiety. "Why do I have to be in group one? I hate going first!"

"Hey, if I could I would trade you for group three," Noya sighed. "Waiting is my least favorite thing to do," he pouted.

Yamaguchi counted himself lucky for being in group two. The middle group was always the best to be in, because there was time to think about strategy and you didn't have to wait too long. As his two friends carried on chatting around him, Yamaguchi wondered if he was really going to be okay today.

Author's note:

Well, here we go. How could Tendo be so rude to Yamaguchi!? Poor guy was scared out of his mind. Will Yamaguchi be able to win himself his second key? Will Yachi be able to beat Tendo? Who is going to come out on top? Stay tuned to find out that and more!

If all goes accordingly, the next chapter should be up next weekend no problem. Keep an eye out for it. I'm sure we are all excited to know if Yamaguchi will win himself his second key or it someone else, like Yachi, Tendo or Noya, will win it from him!

Hey all, as always, thank you so much for the bookmarks, follows, and kudos. Also I love to hear from my readers so thank you so much for the comments and reviews. They are always a pleasure to read. If you have time do drop a comment or review down below and let me know what you think.

Well, I don't really have much more to say for this chapter. See you all next chapter. 3


	43. Geosenge Showcase: Part 2

Hey all! Here is chapter 43! I hope you are all ready to find out the outcome of the showcase. It going to be exciting, that's for sure.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Without further ado, chapter 43!

Geosenge Showcase: Part 2

Yachi sat beside Yamaguchi in a panic. She seemed to be just as shaken and unprepared as Yamaguchi was. The two sat side by side in a pool of worry as Noya did his very best to encourage the two to relax.

"Hey, no need to panic you two," Noya brightly cheered as he stood in front of them both. "Fashion rounds are always the best because we get to do arts and crafty. The judges really dig unique styles too, so just be yourself!" As he spoke he used large arm motions in hopes it would excite the two younger trainers.

Despite his efforts, it didn't seem to calm Yachi down too much.

"I always mess up when I am placed in the first round. I've never tried to put together an outfit in such a short amount of time. I can't mess up another showcase," she rambled on to herself, talking in a low fast whisper.

For some reason, Yachi's panic seemed to simultaneously fuel Yamaguchi's anxiety and distract him from his own crippling worries.

"First round is always the worst," Yamaguchi quietly empathised. "But in reality, it really doesn't matter whether we go first round or second round, it's not like an extra 30 minutes to think will really help in the long run." It had all definitely sounded much better in his head.

"Exactly! There's no need to worry," Noya agreed cheerfully.

"You're right, no matter when I go I'll still be a hopeless loser," Yachi whined with a small loud sob at the end.

"That's not what I meant!" Yamaguchi panicked, flailing his arms as he did so.

"What he means is you should go out there in the first round with your head held high and just let whatever happens happen," Noya said striking a cool pose.

"Noya Senpai," Yamaguchi and Yachi spoke in unison as they gazed upon Noya with admiration.

Noya soaked up the rays of admiration like a tanner at the beach.

"You're right, panicking like I am will only make me mess up for sure," Yachi said with determination. "I have to prove that I'm not just a hopeless daughter."

With a bright smile, Yamaguchi nodded in agreement. He wondered how Yachi was able to flip so quickly from being so scared to so determined. Everyone around him seemed so much more amazing than he could ever dream of being.

"We'll just have to do our best to learn from whatever happens today," Yamaguchi added, hoping that his own words would calm both himself and Yachi.

"That's the spirit," Noya cheered in approval. "Even if we don't walk away from this with a key, we will all walk away with a lesson that will only help us grow as trainers."

Yachi gave a small laugh as she calmed even more. Yamaguchi felt himself do the same. It really was nice to be amongst friends. If he were here all alone he'd surely be a nervous mess right now.

"I guess I just get a little panicky before going on stage," Yachi giggle, her cheeks dusted pink. "I think it's part of my process."

"I always feel like I'm going to vomit," Yamaguchi admitted, feeling the need to share his stage fright as well.

"Every new contestant gets the pre-show jitters," Noya insisted as he took a seat on the other side of Yamaguchi. "Before you know it, you two will be so used to going up on stage that it will just be second nature to you."

"I feel like that is going to take a lifetime," Yamaguchi sighed as he tried to ignore the knot in his stomach.

"It's definitely impossible for me to not be nervous," Yachi added with a cute pout.

"You two might feel like that now but it will pass eventually," Noya said.

"Were you nervous before your first few showcases?" Yamaguchi asked. Noya just didn't come across as a very nervous guy.

"Sure I was," Noya nodded, though it wasn't very convincing. He got two very sceptical looks from both Yachi and Yamaguchi. "I never felt like I was going to barf or anything but I was afraid to lose," he admitted.

Despite Noya's insistence, Yamaguchi just couldn't imagine Noya being a nervous wreck like he and Yachi were. He did his best not to show it on his face.

Just then Takeda came back into the waiting room. Yachi gave a small squeak as she stood from her seat. She clasped her hands together in what was probably an attempt to stop them from shaking so much.

"Will the first group please gather over here. I will take you onto the stage now," Takeda announced, motioning to where he would like the contestants to line up.

"W-well, h-h-here goes n-nothing," Yachi stammered as she sent Noya and Yamaguchi the most distraught smile Yamaguchi had ever seen in his life.

"Go out there and show them what you're made of!" Noya cheered with a thumbs up and a bright smile.

"You're going to do great," Yamaguchi encouraged, doing his best to hide his uncertainty.

Yachi's mouth gave an odd twist as she nodded to the two. She then walked quite robotically to where the rest of group one stood gathered. It was then that Yamaguchi noticed how tiny Yachi was compared to all the other contestants, even the girls. He hoped she was going to be okay.

Yamaguchi watched as Yachi and the others were lead out of the room. His stomach did an odd sort of flip. Was he really ready for this? The reality of the showcase started to settle back in. Yamaguchi still had very little experience with sewing. He had only made a few crewed bandanas and bows since deciding to join showcases. He had yet to even try to craft a full look for any of his Pokemon.

"Aw, man! I can't wait to see what sort of materials we are challenged to work with today," Noya hummed in anticipation as he leaned back in his seat. "These are some of my favorite round one challenges."

"Really?" Yamaguchi asked, not taking Noya for the fashionable type.

"Yeah! It's pretty fun! We get to be as creative as we want with fashion challenges," Noya elaborated in excitement. "It's always fun to see what sort of things others pull off. It's really inspiring."

Yamaguchi hadn't really thought about it that way. He did enjoy being creative in the kitchen. Maybe he'd be about to tap into that creativity during today's round one.

"I think I'm going to review a bit before my round starts," Yamaguchi said with a bit more determination in his tone. Shifting Eevee into one arm, he pulled his basic sewing book from his bag in hopes to freshen up on stitching.

"If you have any questions, I'm right here," Noya replied with an encouraging thumbs-up.

Yamaguchi gave a nod before jumping nose deep into his book. He reviewed the sections on hand stitching several times over before moving on to a section about measuring and fitting pieces of material. Noya had informed him that there would most likely be basic patterns available for them to reference since the crafting time was only 30 minutes. Before Yamaguchi knew it the waiting room's TV flashed on to show the final outcome of the first round contestants.

Yamaguchi abandoned his book in lieu of seeing what sort of outfits the round one contestants had created. Yamaguchi watched as the Pokemon and trainers did their best to catwalk one at a time down the stage, each receiving praise and criticism from the judges as they did so. When Tendō made an appearance Yamaughic felt his stomach twist. He was surprised to see Tendō walking the stage with his Banette instead of the Yamask he had seen in the dressing room.

Tendō's Banette wore a hauntingly beautiful cloak made of satin. The hood of the cloak sat atop Banette's head giving him a very mysterious feel. The piece was lined in what looked to be a deep blood red. Upon the cloak were golden beads that gave the feeling of being alone at night with only the stars as company. It made the ghost type Pokemon look both frightening and enchanting. How Tendō had crafted something so detailed in such a short amount of time baffled Yamaguchi. Tendō received high praise from the panel of judges. Every second that Tendō was on stage it sent Yamaguhi's stomach into more and more knots.

A few more contestants showed off their work before Yachi's turn arrived. The poor girl still looked quite nervous as she and her Dedenne made their way down the stage. Yachi, despite walking quite robotically, looked adorable nonetheless as she made her way down the catwalk. Her Dedenne was just as cute. She seemed to have gone with a candy theme for her Dedenne's outfit. It wore a bow around its neck that resembled that of a hard candy. Little shining felt gumdrops lined the top of Dedenne's head, and its long tail was decorated to resemble that of a gummy worm. Though not terribly flashy, the look was quite adorable. Yachi received her feedback from the judges, both good and bad. Yamaguchi couldn't help but worry for her since Tendō had received nothing but a good review.

Before long the judges announced Tendō the winner of round one and Yamaguchi felt his heart sink. Yachi must be devastated. He wanted badly to console her, but before the round one contestants had even returned, Yamaguchi and the rest of his group were rounded up for their turn.

Yamaguchi did his best to keep it together as he was lead onto the stage. He and the rest of his bracket were lined up for the audience to see. Yamaguchi didn't bother to even look for Tsukki and Hinata, as the lights on the stage made it impossible for him to distinguish anyone in the crowd. He held Eevee in his arms and didn't take notice of how equally nervous Eevee seemed to have become since entering the stage.

The contestants were quickly guided to their designated tents and before Yamaguchi knew it, he and Eevee were alone and the 30 minute timer was ticking. He did his best not to panic as he quickly took inventory of the materials in the tent. Eevee sat meekly on the small table in the tent as Yamaguchi rummaged around the small space. If he was being completely honest, he had no clue what he was doing or where he should even start.

He often found himself looking from Eevee then to a large array for material and nick-nacks he had then back to Eevee. Several times he had to take deep breaths to prevent himself from panicking, since Eevee seemed to become nervous any time Yamaguchi became nervous.

"It's going to be okay, Eevee," Yamaguchi reassured several times, giving her a gentle rub behind the ear. Eevee would whimper but perk up nonetheless every time he did so. Yamaguchi began to wonder if he had made a mistake in choosing Eevee so early on. He couldn't worry about that then, though. It was too late to go back and change his mind.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi came up with a concept. He would go with a nice tropical themed look. He only really knew Alola, and it was the best he could come up with on the spot. Noticing how nervous Eevee had become, Yamaguchi made sure to involve her in the crafting process. This seemed to cheer Eevee up quite a bit, which in turn helped Yamaguchi calm down.

The two worked together to craft tropical-esk flowers and bows to tie into Eevee's beautiful fluffy mane. The colors they had chosen were bright yellows, pinks, and reds. Once all the items were crafted and with only five minutes on the clock, Yamaguchi worked with shaking hands to place a multitude of small colorful flowers and bows in Eevee's fluffy mane doing his best to not overdo it. The largest pink flower that was adorned with gemstones was placed atop Eevee's head. Upon Eevee's tail, he tied in three very small flowers.

Once done, Yamaguchi allowed Eevee to see herself in a small mirror. Eevee chirped with joy as she swished her tail back and forth. She looked absolutely adorable with all the flowers and bows poking out of her fluffy fur. Several times Eevee twirled in front of the mirror, mesmerized by her own reflection. Yamaguchi took note on how much Eevee seemed to enjoy accessories.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," Yamaguchi cooed as he gave Eevee's back an affectionate scratch. Eevee trilled in absolute joy. Any anxiety he'd felt melted away completely.

The two didn't have much time to bond over the moment for they were given a one-minute warning to get ready to go back on stage. With much less shaky hands, Yamaguchi smoothed out Eevee's fur. Eevee seemed to adore the primping and preening as Yamaguchi did his best to make her look as fluffy and adorable as he could. His heart felt more than ready to show off his adorable Eevee.

"Are you ready for your debut, girl?" Yamaguchi hummed as he admired his and Eevee's hard work.

Eevee replied with a determined trill.

The two were soon led out of the tent and onto the stage. Yamaguchi was the 5th contestant to walk down the catwalk. He placed Eevee beside himself as the two made their way down the long stretch of stage. Yamaguchi had yet to practice, both himself and with his Pokemon, walking like a model. He did his best to keep his back straight and to walk as smoothly as he could. He was so focused on this that he almost missed loud gasps and whispers from the audience. He was only halfway down the long stretch of stage when he realized Eevee was not beside him anymore.

Yamaguchi almost tripped as he noticed Eevee's absence. He could hear a few snickers as he turned to find Eevee standing like a statue a few steps behind him. Her eyes were fixed on the crowd of people just beside her. He could not make out if she was scared stiff or just mesmerized by the crowd for her expression looked almost blank.

"E-Eevee," Yamaguchi gently encouraged and he tried to ignore the growing panic in his stomach.

His voice seemed to have triggered something in Eevee for the next thing Yamaguchi knew Eevee had urinated all over the stage. A moment of horror washed over Yamaguchi as Eevee stood in a large puddle of her own pee. The crowd was filled with both gasps and snickers as whoever was manning the camera zoomed in on poor Eevee.

"Eevee," Yamaguchi gaped in concern as he rushed over to where she stood. His voice caught Eevee's attention and with a loud cry Eevee bolted from her spot leaping into Yamaguchi's arms. Her urine-soaked paws scratched at his blazer in an attempt to hide away from the crowd. Yamaguchi could feel his shirt and jacket become soaked in pee as he did his best to keep hold of the horrified Eevee.

"Eevee it's okay," Yamaguchi gasped as he did his best to calm her down.

A large portion of the audience erupted into laughter as Yamaguchi slipped and slid on the puddle of pee. Yamaguchi felt the world blur as his feet slipped out from under him and he landed butt first in the pee puddle. The crowd erupted even louder at seeing this. A moment later several lights on the stage dimmed to help mask Yamaguchi as he struggled to stand back up.

By that point, Eevee had worked her way into his blazer and under his button-up shirt. Yamaguchi held her close as he did his best to keep his cool. He had to for her sake.

A moment later stagehands were helping him up and off the stage. Yamaguchi's mind had gone numb. What had happened? What did he do wrong? He felt utterly humiliated as roars of laughter filled the auditorium. His heart sank as the whole situation slowly began to sink in.

Everything passed by in a burr for Yamaguchi. He was still in too much shock from what had just happened on stage. The stagehands helped him to the dressing room as well as pointing out to where the showers were. By that point, Yamaguchi was well aware that he was covered in Eevee's pee. Not only did he looked like a mess but he smelt like a mess.

If there were others in the changing room, he did not take any notice of them. He softly gathered his stuff and headed to the showers to rinse off. Taking Eevee into the shower room he stripped himself of his soiled clothes and stepped into the shower. The water was cold and stung his skin but he was in a rush to just get cleaned off.

There was no soap in the showers and he didn't have any on hand so all he could really do was rinse himself and Eevee off. Still quite numb to his surroundings, Yamaguchi quickly changed back into his street clothes before exiting the changing room. He allowed Eevee to take refuge under his shirt as he stepped out into the entryway. He wasn't going to hang around until the end of the competition. Despite having just rinsed off he still felt an overwhelming need to take a proper shower.

He swiftly left the hall and made a beeline for the hotel. With Eevee's fur still being quite wet, his shirt soon became soaked through with water. Perhaps it was just his mood, but the weather felt a lot colder than it had been earlier that day.

Time passed in a very odd manner for Yamaguchi as he made his way into the hotel. He didn't react when the workers greeted him. He didn't make eye contact with a single person on his way to his room. Once in his room, he abandoned his bag on the floor headed straight for the bathroom.

He quietly prioritized cleaning Eevee, who seemed almost over the whole incident by now. She quietly allowed herself to be scrubbed clean in the bathtub. She trilled and squeaked as Yamaguchi washed the mess from her fur. All the while, Yamaguchi did his best to hold it together. He told himself he wouldn't cry over losing but the utter humiliation sunk further and further in as the moments passed.

It wasn't long before Eevee was cleaned up and dried off. The small shiny Pokemon yawned as Yamaguchi placed her on the bed. His eyes began to gloss over as he did his best to fight the tears that threatened to fall. Eevee released a concerned trill as she rubbed against her trainer's hand.

"You rest here," Yamaguchi said, his voice cracking as he tried his best not to cry. "I'm going to take a quick shower so I'll be right back," He explained, stroking Eevee's soft cheek.

Eevee leaned into his hand as she did her best to comfort him. She gave another small squeak when Yamaguchi stood up and headed back to the bathroom but made no move to follow him.

Yamaguchi wasted no time turning on the shower. He quickly stripped himself of his wet clothes, throwing them arbitrarily to the floor, before stepping into the steamy shower. As the warm water relaxed his muscles, it also loosened his emotions. Unable to hold it in anymore Yamaguchi let out a loud sob that he desperately tried to muffle it with his hand.

Yamaguchi knew he was a failure. He knew he was not very good at anything in particular. He knew he failed more often than he succeeded, but never in all his life had he messed up that badly. Hundreds upon thousands of people witnessed what was probably the most humiliating moment of his life. Unable to hold it back anymore, Yamaguchi allowed himself to cry away his emotions.

Author notes:

What a horrible loss! Will Yamaguchi be able to pick himself back up and carry on? Will this loss traumatize him into giving up? Could this be the end of Tsukishima and Yamaguchi journey together? Will Yamaguchi be able to get the Eevee pee smell out of his cloth!? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

I'm so sorry to have done this to our poor Yamaguchi. He deserves so much better. He is a pure child who just wants to live a pure happy life and here I am literally dumping him in urine. Please don't hate me. I had to do this. The bright side is we get to look forward to Tsukki coming in the next chapter to help his best friend. Oh boy!

As always, thank you so much for the follows, likes, kudos, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from all my dear readers. Please do drop a comment or review down below if you have time. Feedback fuels may need to write. It's just a fact of life. Cars run on fuel and I run on comments and reviews… and chocolate… and cheese.

Anyways, I hope to post a one shot for my mermaid AU next week for Tsukkiyama week so please keep an eye out for that. I'm not sure how many of my readers for this fic have read my Tsukkiyama mermaid au. Posting that chapter shouldn't affect this fics. I will have chapter 44 up on time next weekend.

That's all for now! See you next chapter!


	44. It Will Fade With Time

Wow! Sorry if chapter 43 was overly cruel to poor Yamaguchi but chapter 44 has come to save the day. Let see what unfold for our sweet little Yams as he comes to terms with what just happened.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Also, I want to wish everyone a happy Tsukkiyama week 3

Without Further Ado, here is chapter 44.

It Will Fade With Time

Yamaguchi was feeling a whole new kind of numb when he finally finished his shower. He had no clue how long he had been in the shower crying. His body felt exhausted and his mind was worn out by the time he had cried away all his tears. He had neglected to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom with him so he opted to tie a towel around his waist. As he exited the steaming bathroom he almost tripped on something small and fuzzy just outside the door.

Releasing a loud 'ack', Yamaguchi was somehow able to both catch himself from falling and not step on Eevee at the same time. Eevee immediately stood up, overjoyed to see her trainer finally out of the bathroom. She rubbed against his leg as she begged for him to pick her up. Making sure his towel didn't fall, Yamaguchi carefully scooped her up into his arms.

"Were you worried about me?" Yamaguchi cooed as Eevee rubbed her face against his.

"She refused to stay on the bed no matter what I tried," Tsukishima grumbled from the bed.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi gasped as he shot his free hand to his waist to make sure his towel was still there.

Yamaguchi hadn't noticed it but Tsukki was indeed laying across their bed, his tablet in hand. He held a deep frown but Yamaguchi could see the hint of worry in his eyes. Yamaguchi wondered just how long Tsukki had been there. Had he heard him crying? Feeling humiliated once more, Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright red. He just couldn't win today, could he?

"Get dressed before you catch a cold," Tsukishima sternly scolded as he averted his eyes. Yamaguchi swore he saw pink dusting Tsukki's cheeks.

"R-Right!" Yamaguchi stammered as he scrambled for his backpack. He wasted no time in fishing out a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He placed Eevee on the bed only for her to jump off and follow him into the bathroom. He quickly and clumsily, mostly due to his embarrassment, scrambled to put his clothes on before exiting the bathroom for the last time.

Yamaguchi quietly scooted his way over to the bed before flopping stomach first down on his side of the bed. He hid his face in his arms as he tried his best to stay composed. He still felt so overwhelmed by everything. Eevee curled up next to his side as she gave a quiet purr.

Tsukishima quietly read from his tablet, allowing Yamaguchi the quiet he needed to calm down. Just having Tsukki by his side helped calm Yamaguchi down in a way he couldn't even describe. With the sound of Tsukishima tapping away at the tablet and Eevee's soft snores, Yamaguchi finally began to relax.

After a few minutes like that, Yamaguchi groaned and rolled from his stomach to his back, "Today has to be the worst day of my life."

Always honest, Tsukishima replied with a small hum of agreement. "There isn't much you can do about it now," he sighed as he looked from his tablet to Yamaguchi. He wasn't the best with comforting words.

"So, who won?" Yamaguchi asked, his tone flat and dry.

"Don't know," Tskishima shrugged. "I left early."

"What? Why?" Yamaguchi asked, sitting up to see his friend better.

Tsukishima gave a silent shrug, not daring to look Yamaguchi's way.

Had Tsukki come back early out of worry for him? Yamaguchi always found it cute when Tsukki showed he cared.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi hummed with a small smile.

"For what?" Tsukishima replied flatly.

"For caring," Yamaguchi smiled, his cheeks pink with joy.

Silence filled the room as Tsukki looked to Yamaguchi in mild shock. Yamaguchi sent a shy smile his way.

Tsukki's cheeks went pink as he looked away. "Shut up, Yamaguchi," he grumbled with a frown.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied in a giddy tone. He laid back down on his side as he studied Tsukki. The mere presence of his best friend always helped calm him. Yamaguchi was by no means felt okay with the day's events, but he was feeling much better than he had been before sitting with Tsukki.

It didn't take long for Yamaguchi to fall into a deep sleep. Exhausted both physically and mentally from the morning's events, he basically passed out the second he blinked his eyes closed. It was late afternoon when he woke from his nap by a knock at the door.

He woke to find himself tucked neatly into bed. He was pretty sure when he fell asleep he had been outside of his covers, but he was now tucked in snugly. The knock at the door sounded once more causing Yamaguchi to finally crack his eyes open just as Tsukki stood up off the bed. Tsukishima released a very unhappy grunt as he made his way to the door. All the while, Yamaguchi's sleepy eyes watched his every move.

Tsukishima looked through the peephole as whoever was on the other side knocked once more.

Tsukishima reared back a bit as he breathed a very frustrated "Arceus, why them."

Yamaguchi heard the door creak open.

"What do you want!?" Tsukishima quietly hissed.

"We came to see how Yama was doing!" Yamaguchi heard Hinata announce loudly.

"He's sleeping! Go away!" Tsukishima snapped back.

"Oh no! I hope we didn't wake him," Yachi quietly gasped, her tone laced with worry.

If Yamaguchi was being honest, he really didn't want to see anyone right then. He quickly debated acting like he was still asleep. He knew Tsukki would not care either way.

"How long has he been asleep?" Noya's naturally loud voice carried through the room, it sounded both worried and mildly annoyed.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" Tsukishima snapped. The sounds of shuffling could be heard from the door. "I didn't say you could come in!"

"Move it, you can't keep him locked in here forever," Noya replied loudly.

"Yeah, Yamaguchi needs his friends now," Hinata added as more scuffling could be heard from the door.

"You guys stop. He's going to wake up," Yachi said in a shaky panic.

"Like hell I'm letting you two in here," Tsukishima hissed. Yamaguchi could hear what was most likely Noya and Hinata trying to push past Tsukki.

Not wanting to cause any more trouble for Tsukki than he had, Yamaguchi decided it was best if he just got up.

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi yawed as he sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes as he looked to the door. He was not too surprised to see Tsukki trying to fend off both Noya and Hinata.

"Look what you did, you woke him up," Tsukishima scolded as he glared at both Noya and Hinata.

"This wouldn't have happened if you had just let us in, Stingyshima!" Hinata quickly retorted.

"Is everything okay?" Yamaguchi asked, sending the three a very concerned look.

"I was just telling these two to leave," Tsukishima replied at the same time Hinata said, "Stingyshima won't let us come in to see you!"

Yamaguchi couldn't help but stifle a laugh. There was something amusing about seeing the two shorter trainers tangled in Tsukki's long legs and arms and something terribly endearing at how Tsukki would go to such lengths just for him.

"You can let them in, Tsukki," Yamaguchi insisted with a sweet smile.

Tsukisima frowned but stepped back nonetheless. Both Noya and Hinata tumbled to the ground only for Yachi to step past them and into the room.

"Oh, Yamaguchi, I'm so sorry," Yachi almost cried as she stumbled to where he sat in bed. "I heard all about your mishap on stage. It must have been horrible."

"Heard?" Yamaguchi echoed, feeling his cheeks go red at remembering the humiliating moment.

"I was in the dressing room crying when I heard everyone laughed in the waiting room," Yachi explained, close to tears. "By the time I came out to see what had happened you were already off the stage."

"It's probably better you didn't see it," Yamaguchi sighed as he hid his face in his hands.

"Hey, no need to be embarrassed!" Noya brightly insisted as he jumped up from the ground. "Things like this happen to everyone."

"I was on a stage, covered in urine of which was broadcast for everyone to see," Yamaguchi groaned in agony.

"I'm sure people will forget eventually," Hinata shrugged as he pulled himself from the floor as well.

With his face still in his hands, Yamaguchi shook his head. There is no way he would ever be getting over this. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to show my face outside again," he groaned into his hands.

"Hey, now, chin up!" Noya insisted as he gave Yamaguchi a friendly nudge. "It's all going to be okay."

Yamaguchi wasn't convinced. He had been on a stage, spotlight on him, covered in pee. The laughter of the crowd still echoed in his mind but what really caused his stomach to fall into knots was how horrified Eevee had been. He felt like the worst trainer in the world to have put Eevee through something like that. What had he been thinking? How could he have done something so stupid as to make Eevee's first showcase event one where she was the main spotlight? He really was a hopeless case.

Yamaguchi's hopelessness must have been apparent for Noya spoke again, this time in a much more controlled tone. "Hey, you're not the only one who messes up royalty on stage, it happens all the time, even to me." Noya said, his tone level and earnest. "And believe me, my mistake was much worse."

Yamaguchi peaked through his fingers to look at Noya. How could he have outshined Yamaguchi in the worst contestant category?

"Were you soaked head to toe with pee in front of everyone?" Hinata dumbly asked, his eyes large and innocent.

Tsukishima released an annoyed huff from where he sat next to Yamaguchi.

"No, I didn't get peed on," Noya said with a small snicker. "It was a few years ago, one of my first showcases ever. My Eevee had just evolved into Jolteon. I was really ambitious back then."

"And you aren't now," Tsukishima cut in, his snide remaker went ignored by Noya but he did get a stern look from Hinata.

"Both Jolteon and I didn't know the power of his electric attacks, and, wanting to be the flashiest during our routine we sent an insanely powerful electric shock over the whole stadium," Noya carried on, his eyes looking off into the far past as he reminisced the day. "I electrocuted about 20 people in the crowd and two of the judges," he finished with a laugh.

"Oh my Arceus, that sounds horrible," Yachi gasped, looking like she had received a large dose of second hand embarrassment.

"Did that really happen? Were the people okay?" Yamaguchi found himself asking, his head not hidden in his hands anymore.

"Yeah, people made it out unscathed for the most part," Noya admitted with a nervous smile. "One of the judges lost consciousness for a short while but eventually came to. They had to postpone the rest of the showcase. It was a bit of a mess. I didn't win the key that day."

"Oh man, that sounds insane," Hinata gasped in awe. "I wish I could have been there to see it!"

Yamaguchi could tell that Tsukki so badly wanted to shoot a snide remark at Hinata but somehow held it in.

"It was rough for a while after that, but I eventually picked myself back up and people slowly forget about how I almost murdered half the stadium," Noya finished with a shrug.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but look at Noya in disbelief. How could he shrug off having almost killed so many people? Just thinking about it caused Yamaguchi to feel all sorts of anxiety.

"Basically, what I'm saying is that horrible things will happen to everyone on stage but eventually people will forget and those strong enough won't give up," Noya finished, his chest puffed out.

"I-I-If something like that happened to me I would have died," Yachi said shakily, her face white as a ghost.

"That's what everything says," Noya shrugged. "And I bet that's what you thought when we told you about what happened to poor Yamaguchi here."

"Yachi had almost fainted when we told her," Hinata chimed in.

"But I lived after my mishap and Yamaguchi here is still kickin'. Aren't you, Yamaguchi?" Noya said with a bright smile.

Yamguchi looked to the three, than to Tsukki and then to Eevee who slept soundly next to him. "Yeah, I guess I am still alive," He hummed as he stroked Eevee's fur. "Though I think I may have stared death in the face quite a few times today," he added with a small laugh.

"See, everyone heals! Just give yourself a bit of time," Noya wisely hummed.

"Wow, I wish you were my mentor, too," Hinata gasped in awe.

"I'm sure there is something we can do to make that happen," Noya replied proudly.

"Hinata isn't in showcases," Tsukisima flatley pointed out. Yamaguchi stifled a laugh.

"I have many talents," Noya retorted, still holding a proud air about himself. "Before doing showcases I dabbled in leagues elsewhere."

"Whoa!" Yachi gasped. "Can you be my mentor, too?"

"There is enough Noya to be everyone's mentor," Noya said with open arms. He even glanced at Tsukki who quickly shut him down.

Another laugh escaped Yamaguchi's mouth at the interaction. He was really lucky to have such good friends.

It wasn't long before the group had decided to go out for some dinner. Yamaguchi hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, and after so much emotional drama he was starving. They went to a local restaurant not too far from the hotel. Yamaguchi ate a hearty meal that helped him feel even better. Hinata and Noya rambled on throughout dinner and despite their boisterous conversation, Tsukisima stayed quiet and stuck beside Yamaguchi the whole time.

It wasn't terribly late when Yamaguchi and Tsukishima parted ways with Yachi and the others and headed back to their hotel. Despite this Yamaguchi felt exhausted. He always got like this when emotional events happened. He had a feeling that tomorrow he'd be having a long conversation with Shimada, since he was almost certain Shimada saw his disaster today.

Yamaguchi was feeling better, but still didn't feel back to his normal self. Despite what Noya had said earlier, he still couldn't help but feel sick every time he thought about sitting on stage in a pool of Eevee's pee. He wondered if he would be able to get back up on stage ever again after something like that. His stomach twisted into knots at this thought.

Once back in the hotel room Yamaguchi remembered that he needed to do something about his urine-soaked clothes. He hoped his nice suit from Shimada hadn't been ruined. The shame he felt at ruining the outfit he had been borrowing only made his stomach knot more. He scanned the room but could not locate his bag. He had abandoned it in the middle of the floor so perhaps Tsukki had moved it.

"Have you seen my bag with my showcase stuff in it?" Yamaguchi asked as Tsukki emerged from the bathroom.

Tsukki only wore a pair of sweatpants and no top as he had just finished a shower. Around his neck hung a towel that he used to dab at his damp hair. It took everything in Yamaguchi not to stare like a hungry animal at his best friend toned body.

"If you're wondering where your suit is, the hotel has a dry cleaning service. I took it to them to get it washed," Tsukishima calmly explained as he took his place on the bed next to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt his heart do a bit of a flutter as Tsukki sat beside him. "O-Oh, th-thank you for doing that," Yamaguchi stammered, not daring to look Tsukki's way. He could feel his ears growing hot.

"Not a problem," Tsukishima simply replied. "It will prevent us from having to wait around too long tomorrow."

"R-Right," Yamaguchi quietly stammered. "Th-Thanks anyways," he repeated stiffly. He didn't want to get too excited, thinking that Tsukki had done it out of worry. It was done out of necessity. Tsukishima was always efficient like that. Secretly, Yamaguchi wished a bit of care had also fueled the action.

A silence hung between the two. Tsukki read from a book while Yamaguchi did his best to calm his heart. Yamaguchi half wondered if Tsukki was going to sleep shirtless tonight. The idea got him more excited than it should have and he had to excuse himself to the bathroom so that Tsukki wouldn't get suspicious.

When he emerged from the bathroom he was met by a fully clothed Tsukki, top covered by a short sleeved black nightshirt. He sent Yamaguchi a concerned look. Yamaguchi let out a nervous laugh as he gave a large exaggeration stretch. "Well, I sure am tired. Guess we better get to sleep," He announced loudly, feeling like a fool.

Tsukishima studied Yamaguchi all the way until Yamaguchi was tucked into bed. What he was looking for, Yamaguchi couldn't tell but it made him uneasy and a little excited. Tsukki's eyes on him for a long period of time always set his stomach aflutter.

"Yeah, it's been a long day," Tsukishima agreed as he slipped into bed beside Yamaguchi.

With a content smile, Yamaguchi snuggled into the covers, facing Tsukki. Eevee made herself comfortable right around Yamaguchi's chest, cuddling close to her beloved trainer. "Thanks for today, Tsukki," Yamaguchi hummed happily as he felt himself fill with warmth.

"For what?" Tsukisima mumbled, glanced over at Yamaguchi.

"For taking care of me," Yamaguchi replied, his cheeks pink. He didn't roll over but he found it hard to look Tsukki in the eye as he spoke.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tsukishima answered in almost a whisper.

Yamauchi couldn't see the blush on his cheeks through the glow of the lamp but he smiled nonetheless. His eyes stayed fixed on his best friend as he admired his features in the dim glow of the lamp. Tsukki always looked amazing no matter what lighting he was in.

"Get some sleep," Tsukishima quietly snapped, becoming embarrassed now that he was the one under intense study.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi giggled, feeling a bit embarrassed for having started for so long. He then rolled to his other side as Tsukki clicked off the lights.

The room filled with darkness, but with Tsukki so close, Yamaguchi felt quite at ease. It wasn't long before he fell into a warm peaceful sleep.

Authors Notes:

How lucky Yamaguchi is to have such wonderful friends. Setting out on this journey has indeed been a crazy experience for him but he has gained so much from these past few months. What will the future hold for out heros now.? Will Yamaguchi be able to overcome this embarrassment? Will Tsukki be ready for his match at the Shalour City Gym? What other insane plot twists will out boys run into next!? That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned!

I should be getting the next chapter out on time next weekend. My beta reader is away on holiday so it might be late if I can't find someone to proofread by next week though. Do keep an eye out for chapter 45 nonetheless.

As always I appreciate all the likes, Kudos, bookmarks, follows, comments and reviews. I absolutely love to hear from my readers so please drop a comment or review down below and let me know what you think about this chapter or the fic as a whole!

Well, that is all for now, folk! I will see you next chapter!


	45. Stormy Skies

Hey all! Here is chapter 45! Let's see where our adventure will take us next. Will dear Yamaguchi be able to get over his loss? Let's find out!

This week my normal beta reader is on a vacation so this weeks beta reader is my normal substitute beta-er heichousheadphones (). Let's send them a warm thankyou for helping with the hard task of dealing with the first draft hahaha.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Without further ado, Chapter 45!

Stormy Skies

"So, you saw?" Yamaguchi asked, his tone filled with embarrassment and dread.

"I'm afraid so," Shimada replied from the other side of the screen. He sent Yamagucih a very empathetic smile, filled to the brim with second hand embarrassment.

Yamaguchi released a small huff as he sunk into his seat. He found it hard to even look at Shimada, despite the man not being there in person. He had definitely failed Shimada and thinking about it made his chest feel heavy.

"Hey, it really isn't that big of a deal," Shimada reassured softly.

"Yeah, I know," Yamaguchi sighed, he had been told several times the night before the same spiel but it did very little to help ease his embarrassment and sense of failure. "Everyone is going to eventually forget about it."

"Right," Shimada replied with a light chuckle. "I suppose someone has gotten to you before me. Tsukki, perhaps?"

"And others," Yamaguchi said with a nod.

"I'm happy you're making friends," Shimada smiled. "It really makes the journey so much more meaningful in the end."

"Yeah…" Yamaguchi signed once more, but this time the weight in his chest eased a bit. Thinking of how kind Noya, Yachi and Hinata had been despite not really knowing him was indeed comforting. "It had been nice meeting everyone," he agreed.

"And it only gets better from here," Shimada hummed calmly.

A silence hung between the two. It was a comfortable silence, and it helped Yamaguchi calm down a bit more.

"So, what do you plan to do next?" Shimada asked, his tone more serious.

Yamaguchi gave a small shrug. He wasn't sure. He wasn't so ready to jump back up on stage after yesterday. "I guess head to Shalour City for Tsukki's gym battle," he eventually answered.

"Taking a rest is as necessary as moving forward," Shimada said, his tone approving. "But you can also use this time to really think about what you're going to do next time. It's always best to learn from the mistakes we make."

Yamaguchi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was unsure how to answer Shimada. He really didn't want to think about showcases at the moment.

Shimada sent a very concerned look through the camera. "I'll dig up some practice materials for you to use so once you get to Shalour City do contact me," he said, his tone a bit pressing.

Yamagucih gave a quiet nod. He felt guilt gather in his stomach from his silent state, but he didn't really feel like talking anymore.

Shimada seem to get the message. His eyes flashed with a hint of sadness before becoming more strict. "I hope you're not going to give up on Eevee," he spoke up, his tone strong. His eyes flashed to Eevee who was sound asleep in Yamaguchi's lap.

"What!?" Yamaguchi squealed as he gave a small jump at the accusation. He looked down to Eevee. The shiny Pokemon did seem happy as a clam in his lap, as if yesterday had never happened. "I would never give up on her!"

"Good!" Shimada said with a curt nod. "She is still just a baby ,so freak outs on the stage are bound to happen. Give her some time and put her through a bit of training and next time the outcome will be different."

Yamaguchi deflated a bit. "Right, probably should have done that before putting her on the stage."

"You're bound to make bad mistakes from time to time. All trainers do. We just need to learn from them," Shimada insisted.

Yamaguchi nodded but wondered if every trainer was as hopeless as he was.

"I believe in both you and Eevee, Yamaguchi, so don't give up," Shimada softly hummed, his sudden tone change catching Yamaguchi's attention.

Yamaguchi fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. He still felt horrible for a multitude of reasons and now he felt even worse for causing Shimada to worry. "I won't give up, I promise," Yamaguchi stated, holding his head a bit higher.

"Good, that's what I like to hear," Shimada nodded in approval.

"Thanks for talking with me," Yamaguchi said with a very soft smile. Shimada always seemed to know just want to say to remind him to carry on.

"Not a problem," Shimada smiled. "I'm the one who talked you into this mess anyways so I need to take responsibility as your mentor."

"I appreciate it," Yamaguchi nodded.

Another paws of comfortable silence passed between the two.

"Well, I'll let you go. I'm sure you have things to get done," Yamaguchi said with a bit of pep, cutting the silence short.

"Life as a breeder is always busy," Shimada agreed. "I'll be waiting for your call when you arrive at Shalour City city. Talk to you soon."

"Bye," Yamaguchi cherped and with that the screen went blank

Yamaguchi sat for a moment, releasing a small sigh. He had been worried about chatting with Shimada. He thought for sure his mentor would be more upset. He should have known better than to think that. Shimada was always so kind so he didn't know why had he even worried.

Yamagucih collected himself before heading to the hotel lobby where Tsukki was waiting. The tall trainer sat on a rather ornate couch reading from a book. He didn't look up until Yamaguhi was right up next to him.

"You finished?" Tsukshima asked, calmly looking to Yamaguchi.

"All done," Yamagucih said with a small nod. "To Shalour City?"

Tsukishima gave a quiet nod before standing up and gathering his things. It wasn't long before Yamaguchi followed after him out of the hotel. Yamaguchi was a bit sad to be leaving the nice hotel. The beds were really comfortable. He had a feeling they'd be sleeping in a tent tonight. Yamaguchi wasn't the biggest fan of tent life, but with Tsukki by his side it wasn't so bad. Although he had a feeling that Shalour City was most likely a few days away.

The two traveled peacefully down the route all morning. Yamaguchi carried Eevee in his arms as he walked close by Tsukki. Using his map, Tsukishima guided them effortlessly down the forest path. The route they walked was not much different visually from the route they took to get to Geosenge memory of that horrible night where he was almost kidnapped flashed in his mind's eye, sending a shiver down his spine.

"If you're feeling cold you should wear a jacket," Tsukishima commented bluntly, mistaking Yamaguchi shiver to be from the cooler temperature.

"I-I'm fine," Yamaguchi said with a shake of his head. He didn't want to make a big deal of the memory. "I mean, it is a bit cold today, isn't it?" he carried on choosing to go with the weather as a topic.

Tsukishima gave a small shrug of agreement but didn't say much more. He turned his gaze back to the path ahead as he seemingly relaxed.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile a bit, enjoying the calm atmosphere that settled between them. It's feeling was familiar and comfortable. Just what he needed after his embarrassing loss. With the much welcome calmness settling in, Yamaugchi looked to the sky. There were several darker clouds settling over head causing Yamaguchi's brow to furrow.

"Did the forecast call for rain today?" Yamaguchi asked. He hadn't checked himself.

"Nope," Tsukishima simply replied, not bothering to look to the sky himself. "Said it was going to be mostly clear with a few scattered clouds."

Yamaguchi gave an unsure hum as a cold breeze rushed over his exposed neck. This time he did shiver from the cold.

"Put on a jacket," Tsukishima mumbled, glancing at Yamaguchi for only a moment.

"You put on a jacket," Yamaguchi pouted, not wanting to be babied, though he was quite flustered from Tsukishima's show of care.

Tsukishima released a small 'tch' from Yamaguchi's sass, but didn't seem bothered by it. Yamaguchi couldn't help but send him a cheeky smile. Tsukishima didn't always have to be the sassy one.

The two proceeded quietly and peacefully down the path. It was past noon when they finally decided to pull over and set up camp. Tsukishima wanted to get some training in before night fell and they weren't in quite as much of a rush as they normally are when Yamaguchi was headed to a showcase. It didn't take the two long to set up the camp and before Yamaguchi knew it, Tsukishima was heading off to train.

Tsuikshima opted to take his lunch with him as he headed into the forest. He had a focus in his eyes that Yamaguchi rarely ever saw. Perhaps all the talk of how difficult the Shalour City Gym Leader, Korrina, was had gotten to Tsukki a bit. It was good for Tsukki to get fired up every once in a while. Yamaguchi missed the competitive fire in Tsukki's eyes that was more prominent when they were kids.

Yamaguchi busied himself with a small sewing project he had decided to start on to hone his stitching skills. Eevee, Riolu, Popplio and Swirlix moved about the campsite as he did so. Eevee snuggled on one side of Yamaguchi while Popplio sat at his other side, both watching him sew with much interest. Swirlix snoozed like a rock upon Yamaguchi's lumpy and half-empty bag. Riolu ran around the perimeter of the campsite twisting and turning this way and that almost as if she were practicing a dance she had come up with. Yamaguchi made a mental note to use Riolu in his next routine when he makes it.

It was comfortable being at the quiet camp with just his Pokemon to keep him company. The trauma of almost being kidnapped and horror of his loss at yesterday's showcase felt miles away. Yamaguchi took advantage of the calmness, allowing himself to relax in a way he hadn't been able to in the past week. He hadn't even noticed how tense his stomach had been until this point. Maybe he'd finally be able to down a decent meal tonight.

It was when a particularly large breeze swept past Yamaguchi, almost ripping the material from his hands, that he snapped out of his calm trance. A shiver ran down his spine as Eevee snuggled up even closer. The temperature was significantly colder than it had been this morning. He felt it strange that the weather would change so drastically but then again in Alola the weather was the same almost all year round. Perhaps this was normal in Kalos.

Yamaguchi looked to the sky with a nervous eye. Dark angry clouds blocked out the sun. Despite what the weather forecast had said Yamaguchi was almost certain it was going to rain. His nerves settled like a weight in his stomach. Not wanting to let this uneasy feeling overtake him he made the executive decision to set up the large canopy tarp they had. He knew Tsukki might give him grief about it later if no rain came but Yamaguchi didn't care. It was better to be safe then to have all their items flooded with water.

"Hey I'm going to need everyone's help," Yamagucih announced as he suddenly stood.

Riolu and Popplio stood at attention while Eevee sent him a confused look. Swirlix still lay quite asleep on his bag. Yamaguchi ignored her for the moment.

"I can't set up the tarp on my own," Yamaguchi explained as he pulled the canopy from Tsukki's bag. Popplio and Riolu both gave barks of understanding. Yamaguchi sent the three a grateful smile.

After waking Swirlix, Yamaguchi and his team got to work at putting the canopy up. Yamaguchi felt it to be a wonderful team building exercise for them all as they all had to work in unison to make the canopy. Even Eevee put in effort to help out without need for persuasion, though she chose to work alongside Popplio.

Before long, the canopy was up and Yamaguchi felt much less worried. He smiled at their hard work before praising each Pokemon individually. He was especially proud of Eevee for putting in the effort she had. Perhaps she was growing up. Eevee seemed to enjoy his praise quite a bit, purring as he petted her head.

With the canopy up and everything gathered safely beneath it, Yamaguchi felt it was just about time to get started on dinner. With such a cold breeze, a warm stew sounded just right. He was sure Tsukki would arrive back cold and with an appetite. It wasn't long before he and his team got to work on the stew.

Yamaguchi was so focused on the meal that he didn't take notice of the light rain that began to fall as they worked. It was only when a loud clap of thunder sounded that Yamaguchi's attention broke.

"Wha!" Yamaguchi squacked as he stumbled back.

Eevee and Riolu ran to his ankle in fear from the sound as Poplio gave an amused bark. Swirlix had fallen asleep on his bag once more and was not bothered by the rolling thunder.

With a worried brow Yamaguchi scooped Riolu and Eevee into his arms as he looked out from under the canopy. With every passing second the rain fell harder and harder and the wind seemed to only get colder. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled almost shaking the ground.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi breathed in worry, his eyes fixed on the forest. Tsukki was still in the forest.

Yamaguchi knew very well that Tsukki could handle himself. That Tsukki was probably wet and nothing more. But Yamaguchi couldn't help but worry that something may have happened. It wasn't like Tsukki to stay out in this sort cold stormy weather.

His grip on Riolu and Eevee tightened as the two cowered in his arms. He was not surprised to see Eevee spooked but he had forgotten that Riolu was also still just a baby. Though he was worried about Tsukki he needed to focus on these two at the moment. He couldn't panic.

With the stew on a safe simmer, Yamaguchi took Riolu and Eevee into the tent in hopes that being inside something might calm them. The sound of angry rain thumped the top of the waterproof tent as he made himself comfortable. He held the two close in a warm embrace as he hummed softly in hope to calm them. Every time thunder clapped and lightning flashed the two would snuggle even closer to him. Yamaguchi would hold them close whispering words of reassurance to them.

As the thunder and lightning passed the two calmed down and before he knew it they had both fallen asleep. Yamaguchi tucked them into his sleeping bag. It was odd seeing both Eevee and Riolu together so comfortable and happy. He wondered if this peace would carry on from now until forever or if Eevee would go back to her old ways once awake.

With the two safe in his bed he exited the tent and turned his attention back to the simmering stew. Popplio had done a wonderful job watching over it making sure it didn't boil over. He honestly would be lost if not for his reliable Popplio.

"Good job, Popplio," Yamaguchi praised as he gave her head an affectionate pat. "I'll take it from here so go take a rest."

Popplio gave a joyous bark but chose to stay by her trainer's side as he carried on watching over the stew. Yamaguchi did his best to ignore the paranoia of Tsukki's absence as time passed. The rain had barely let up and it was only getting darker and colder. Maybe something horrible had happened to Tsukki. Maybe he had slipped in the mud and gotten injured. Maybe he had fallen over the side of a hidden cliff in his attempt to seek shelter from the rain. Yamaguchi's stomach churned in pain as more and more horrible scenarios passed through his mind.

He knew he was being absurd. Tsukki was more than able to handle himself in a rainstorm. He had probably just seeked out shelter and was waiting for the train to let up. But these horrible thoughts just wouldn't go away.

Yamaguchi gave a decisive nod as he gave the stew one last stir. If Tsukki hadn't returned by the time the stew was finished he'd go looking for him. With a worried sigh, Yamaguchi did his best to settle under the canopy.

An hour passed and Tsukki had yet to return. The sun had almost completely set and the sky was now dark from more than just the clouds. The rain had let up quite a bit but the air was still quite cold. Yamaguchi was about to gather some stuff before heading into the woods when the sound of a snapping branch caught his attention.

He quickly whipped around to find a very soaked and muddy Tsukki entering the campsite. He looked cold and exhausted. Yamaguchi felt a wave of relief wash over him as he rushed to his feet to greet Tsukki.

"Tsukki! I was so worried about you," Yamaguchi gasped as Tsukki entered the safety of the canopy. Yamaguchi examined him. He was soaked through and his hands looked quite pruny. There were no signs of any injury but he looked chilled to the bone and beyond tired. "Tsukki wha-!"

"I'm fine!" Tsukishima snapped, cutting Yamaguchi off. He seemed almost upset.

"Tsukki, are you okay?" Yamaguchi gently pressed as Tsukishima walked past him and to his bag. "Where were you? You had me worried."

With his back to Yamaguchi, Tsukishima dug through his bag for a towel and dry clothes. "I'm going to eat dinner in the tent. I'd like to be alone," was his only reply. He didn't even bother to look Yamaguchi's way before heading into the tent.

Yamaguchi's worried eyes sat fixed on the tent as it's entrance was zipped closed. What had happened? Was he upset about the rain? Tsukki normally wouldn't show this much emotion over getting caught in the rain? It looked as if he had been training this whole time.

Yamaguchi was no fool. He knew when to leave Tsukki be. There was no point in arguing with Tsukki when he was this upset and exhausted. With worry still heavy in his stomach, Yamaguchi got right to preparing dinner for Tsukki. With a warmed up bread roll and an extra helping ot stew, Yamaguchi passed it off to him through the tent door wordlessly. As he did so their hands touched and he couldn't help but notice how ice cold Tsukki's fingers were. He hoped the stew would warm him up.

Yamaguchi ate under the canopy with only his team of four as company. By the time he had finished the rain had mostly stopped and the crescent moon could be seen peeking between dispersing clouds. Yamaguchi was more than happy that Tsukki was back and safe but he couldn't help but wonder what had happened during his training. Tsukki seemed quite frazzled. Had his training not gone well due to the rain and he was upset? Yamaguchi could pry him about it later.

With very little to do, it wasn't long before Yamaguchi cleaned up dinner and headed to bed himself. When he entered the tent Tsukki seemed to be asleep, buried deep in his sleeping bag. Yamaguchi wasn't sure but he felt like he could see Tsukki shiver from within his cocoon. Was he still cold? Without much thought, Yamaguhi draped an extra blanket over his friend. He hopped Tsukki was okay.

With Eevee in his arms, Yamaguchi snuggled into his own sleeping bag. As he allowed himself to rest, he heard a small cough from beside him followed by a very scratchy and tired; "Sorry for yelling."

Yamaguchi turned to see that Tsukki was still cocooned from head to toe in his sleeping bag. The lump that was Tsukki seemed to be shivering a bit less with the extra blanket on top of him. He couldn't help but worry for Tsukki, hoping he was okay.

"Get some good rest, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whispered gently. "Good night."

Author's Note:

My, oh my. What did Tsukki get himself into? What got him so grouchy? Why had he stayed out in the rain for so long? It seems so unlike him. Will he be okay? Will yamaguchi be able to get to the bottom of this? Stay tuned to find out this and more.

Hey all, I hope you enjoyed chapter 45. I am going to be on vacation most of next week and may not be able to get chapter 46 out on time. If I am able to coordinate it well with my beta reader I will try to get it out early but it might not happen. We will just have to see!

As always, thank you all so much for the kind reviews, comments, follows, kudos and bookmarks. It's always great to know people are enjoying this fic. I have tons of fun writing it. I love to hear from my readers so if you have a chance please leave me some feedback.

Well, I don't have much more to say. I hope you all have a great weekend. See you next chapter!


	46. Stranger In The Woods

Hey all, so I'm back from my trip and able to get chapter 46 up on time. Getting home from a trip is always so sad for me as I just love to travel but posting a chapter eases he pain a bit. I wonder what is going to happen in this chapter? Will we find out what got Tsukki so ruffled the night before. Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, Chapter 46!

Stranger In The Woods

Yamaguchi rolled lethargically in his sleeping bag, not taking much care to be careful of his limbs. He was used to having the majority of the tent to himself in the morning since Tsukki always woke first and headed out to brew some coffee or tea, but today Yamaguchi's outstretched arm landed on a solid object. Tsukishima gave a small grunt as Yamaguchi withdrew his arms back in surprise.

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi whispered in shock. Perhaps it wasn't morning yet?

Yamaguchi sat up and checked his clock. It was indeed well past 9:00 am and Tsukki almost always woke around 7:30 am. Yamaguchi sat in a bit of a dazed confusion before he heard Tsukki give a small raspy cough that didn't sound too good.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi repeated, sounding much more concerned. Doing his best not to stumble over himself, Yamaguchi leaned over to check on Tsukki.

Yamaguchi felt his heart drop upon seeing his dear friend. Tsukki looked simply horrible. His face was red with a fever and he was drenched in sweat. He shook from head to toe in a way that came from more than just feeling cold. His eyes were halfway cracked open as if a bright light were being shined into them despite the tent's dim lighting.

Without another word, Yamaguchi placed his hand upon Tsukki's forehead. He was burning hot, and Yamaguchi had to quickly retracted his hand in shock. Tsukki definitely had a fever and from the feel of it, it was a bad one.

"Yamaguchi, I'm f-f-fine- achoo," Tsukishima sneezed weakly, a shiver running through his achy body as he did so.

"You stay right there, Tsukki, and don't move," Yamaguchi demanded with more authority than he knew he had.

He stumbled to Tsukki's bag and fished out the first aid kit. In it, he found an ear thermometer. With shaky hands, he returned to Tsukki.

"Now, don't move," Yamaguchi gently instructed before sticking the device into Tsukki's ear.

Tsukishima gave a small frustrated grunt but did as he was told.

With his hands shaking in worry Yamaguchi did his best to hold the thermometer still. When it finally sounded off he pulled it from Tsukki's ear and took a look. It read 38.8 degrees C (102 degrees F). Yamaguchi felt his stomach drop even lower. He had to do something to help Tsukki, but what? Tsukki was normally the one to deal with injuries and ailments, not him.

"W-water," Tsukishima coughed from where he lay.

Yamaguchi snapped back to reality as he looked to find Tsukki looking to him in a feverish haze.

"R-Right! Hold on," Yamaguchi stuttered. He tripped out of the tent as he rushed to their supply of fresh water. By that point, Eevee was wide awake and unsure why Yamaguchi was so flustered.

Returning to the tent, Yamaguchi handed Tsukki some cool water. Helping Tsukki sit up he lifted the cup to his mouth.

"Here, take a drink," Yamaguchi gently instructed as he helped his friend sit up.

Tsukishima took several long gulps and seemed more relieved with each one. "Ya know, I can drink it myself," he weakly teased once finishing the cup.

Yamaguchi cheeks puffed in embarrassment as Tsukishima's teasing eyes gazed upon him. "I'm just trying to help," Yamaguchi pouted.

Tsukishima gave a weak laugh before laying back down.

Yamaguchi looked upon Tsukki for a long moment. Tsukki didn't seem to notice his gaze at all meaning his guard must have been quite down. It worried Yamaguchi. He didn't quite know what to do to help Tsukki.

"A-Are you hungry?" Yamaguchi gently asked, unconsciously running his long fingers through Tsukki's sweaty bangs.

Tsukishima leaned his head into Yamaguchi's cool hand. "Not really," he quietly replied as he rested his hot cheek in Yamaguchi's palm. Yamaguchi felt his heart do a fluttery flip. Tsukki wasn't ever this snuggly, ever. He was unsure if Tsukki was even aware of what he was doing.

"Let me check the first aid kit for medication," He whispered as he removed his hand from Tsukki's cheek. Tsukki gave a small whine but didn't stop him.

Yamaguchi rummaged through the kit but couldn't find a single thing that could be used to lower a fever other than a small cool strip to up on the forehead. He felt his stomach sink further at not finding any fever medication.

Nonetheless, Yamaguchi removed the cool strip from the kit, opened it and gently placed it on Tsukki's forehead. "I'm afraid this is all we have," He whispered, his voice cracking in concern.

"S'okay," Tsukishima mumbled. "Fever will pass."

"T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied in sorrow as he felt a wave of helplessness at helping his friend. What if it didn't pass?

Tsukishima gently took Yamaguchi's hand in his own giving it a small squeeze as he whispered: "I'll be okay so don't worry."

"I'll take care of you and make sure of it," Yamaguchi replied with a gentle squeeze of his own.

The two held hands for a long moment and in almost an instant Tsukki had fallen back to sleep. Yamaguchi watched him slumber in mild discomfort for a moment before giving his head a shake. He couldn't let his worries get the best of him. He had to help Tsukki get better no matter what. With a determined look in his eyes, he devised a plan.

Yamaguchi put Riolu and Swirlix on duty watching over Tsukki. They took turns wiping Tsukki down with a cool wet cloth. Eevee was instructed to snuggle with Tsukki to keep him warm and comfortable. Popplio worked alongside Yamaguchi as he prepared some rice porridge for Tsukki to eat.

As Yamaguchi and Popplio worked on making the porridge, a sudden realization hit him. He was certain he had received a book from Shimada on herbs in Kalos. Maybe something in there could help him find a remedy that helps with fevers. After Tsukki finished breakfast he decided that he'd take a look.

Returning to the tent, porridge in hand, Yamaguchi gently woke Tsukki and offered him the meal.

"I said I'm not hungry," Tsukishima grumbled.

"Just eat a few bites, for me," Yamaguchi coaxed with puppy dog eyes.

Though Tsukishima wasn't wearing his glasses it seemed to work for he gave in easily. Yamaguchi shifted so that Tsukki could use his lap as a way to prop himself up.

"I don't need help," Tsukishima stubbornly grumbled.

"No complaining," Yamaguchi gently scolded as he spoonfed Tsukishima.

With his cheeks red with fever, Tsukki's embarrassment didn't shine through but he allowed Yamaguchi to care for him. Opening his mouth he let Yamauchi feed him a spoonful of the porridge. It was indeed delicious. Perhaps he was hungry.

Yamaguchi fed Tsukki spoonful after spoonful of porridge. With every other spoonful he'd offer Tsukki a sip of tea. Yamaguchi felt his heart flip many times as he cared for his friend. He never thought he'd be the one to feed Tsukki like this. Sure, he was upset that Tsukki was so sick, but the guilty part of him enjoyed doting over Tsukki. Little did Yamaguchi know that Tsukki equally enjoyed the gentle care Yamagucih was giving him.

Before long the tea was gone and the bowl of porridge was empty. Yamaguchi was careful in helping Tsukki settle back down into his sleeping bag. He ached with worry, wishing they were somewhere more hospitable than their tent. There was a slight chill in the air, so he laid all the blanket they owned atop Tsukki. Once he was satisfied and Tsukki was fast asleep once more, he made his way out of the tent to allow Tsukki the rest he needed.

It didn't take Yamaguchi long to find the book on herbs Shimada had lent him. It had been one of the many books he had been given when receiving care for Eevee back when she first hatched. He'd thumbed through it once or twice but never really read through anything.

He settled down just outside the tent, just in case Tsukki needed him, and began to skim the index. The fourth chapter of the book dealt with herbs meant for colds. He quickly turned to the chapter and thumbed through until he found the section on fevers. There were about five herbs that one could use as a fever suppressant, but only one of the five seemed promising. Yamaguchi read through the remedy making a list of all the herbs he'd need. Many of them seemed recognisable and some he could see growing from the ground from where he sat. There was only one ingredient that he was unsure of.

The main ingredient for the remedy was made with the petals of a small yellow flower. Yamaguchi's brow furrowed as he read that the flower bloomed from spring until the end of summer but was only found near rocky terrain. The one problem? Yamaguchi had no clue if he was anywhere near rocky terrain.

He didn't wait a second to fetch Tsukki's tablet to look at its map. He did his best to orient himself on the virtual map and with the help of Popplio and Riolu, he was able to figure out where North and South were on the map. He scanned the nearby area and it looks like just north of where he was there looked to be rocky terrain. Yamaguchi made a thoughtful noise as he debated whether he should try to find his way to the area or not.

Yamaguchi often thought himself as a coward. He was not brave in any way, and more often than not he tried to avoid stressful situations. When it came to Tsukki, though, these insecurities and reservations were put on the back burner. Sure, he was terrified to wander into the forest on his own after what happened the last time he had done so, but he knew Tsukki needed him. If he was able to find the flower then it would only help Tsukki get better faster. He couldn't just sit around and allow Tsukki to suffer.

With a decisive nod, Yamaguchi made note of all the herbs he'd need to make the remedy. There were four in total, and two he could already see growing just behind a large rock. This won't be a problem at all.

Yamaguchi wasted no time in calling out Servine and Salazzle from their balls.

"Tsukki is sick and I need you two, and Eevee, to watch over him," Yamaguchi explained. "I'm going to head into the woods to find some herbs and I should be back soon."

Salazzle and Servine exchanged worried glances but both nodded in understanding.

"Salazzle, I need you to watch over and protect the place while I am gone. Don't let anyone hurt Tsukki," Yamaguchi instructed seriously. Tsukki was terribly vulnerable in his feverish state, and if something were to happen to him while he was away hunting for the herbs he'd just die. "Servine, you and Eevee will man the tent. Make sure he doesn't get any sicker. I will give you two some water you can use to try and cool him down."

Servine and Salazzle gave grunts of understanding. Both seemed quite worried over their ailing trainer.

"It's going to be okay. We will work together to make him better," Yamaguchi whispered as he bent down to hold both their cheeks gently. "We all just got to be strong for Tsukki, like he always is for us."

Salazzle gave a hiss of agreement while Servine did her best to hide her enjoyment of his touch.

"I won't be gone for too long so you two take care of the place," Yamaguchi hummed as he stood up.

The two replied with confident hisses.

Eevee was not too happy to be left behind, but she gave in with a little coaxing from Salazzle and before Yamaguchi knew it, he and the rest of his team were scouring the woods for the herbs.

Yamaguchi and his Pokemon stuck together as they poked through the woods, trying to find the herbs on the list. When a potential herb was found, Swirlix would examine it and only after her approval would Yamaguchi stow it away in his bag. The first two herbs were easy to find, being that they were just outside the campsite. The third herb on the list was said to grow under bushes and such.

The four were in a small clearing surrounded by fresh beautiful berry bushes. If Yamaguchi wasn't so worried over Tsukki, he definitely would have spent the afternoon berry picking and making a dessert. Each took a different set of bushes, checking under each one carefully.

Yamagucih dug deep into an Oran Berry bush and was disappointed to find that there was no herb. With his heart sinking ever so slightly, he straightened up. As he did so he heard a small yelp from just behind him.

"Oh, Riolu, I'm sorry," Yamaguchi said as he turned to face the owner of the paw he just stepped on.

Behind him stood a very grumpy looking Riolu. Its red eyes stared up at him as it frowned. Yamaguchi hesitated for a moment as he realized this was not his Riolu.

"Oh, hello there," Yamaguchih awkwardly greeted.

The Riolu didn't react to Yamaguchi's greeting. It didn't look upset. It's stern red eyes stared up at him as if it were waiting for him to do something.

"A-are you lost?" Yamaguchi softly asked as he crouched down to be on the Riolu's level.

The small fighting Pokemon gave a small grunt but nothing more. It just looked on at Yamaguchi.

"Graw!" Yamaguchi's Riolu triumphantly cheered from the other side of the clearing, in her had was a bushel of herbs.

Yamaguchi glanced up, his face cracking into a smile at the sight. The lost Riolu didn't budge, its eyes still fixed on Yamaguchi.

"Riolu, great work!" Yamaguchi cheered, still crouching down next to the other Riolu.

Yamaguchi's Riolu skipped where he crouched, stopping about a foot away when she took notice of the lost Riolu. An awkward silence filled the clearing as Swirlix and Popplio also gathered around him. All eyes were on the lost Pokemon.

"This is our new friend," Yamaguchi spoke up, feeling the need to say something and with it, the silence was broken.

Popplio cheered a happy greeting. Swirlix gave a lazy bark. Riolu's cheeks grew bright pink as she looked on at the new stranger. The lost Riolu seemed only slightly phased by this for he stumbled behind Yamaguchi for a bit of cover.

Yamagucih didn't know what to do. He had no clue if this Pokemon was wild or not. By how friendly it was he assumed it must belong to someone. In most cases, he'd help it out, but at the moment his mind was exclusively on Tsukki.

"Are you lost?" Yamaguchi gently asked once more.

The small Riolu peaked out from behind him. His eyes scanned Yamaguchi's three friendly Pokemon. They then settled on Yamaguchi. With a quiet whimper it gave a small nod.

"You can stay with us then if you'd like," Yamaguchi gently coaxed. "Until you find where you need to be of course."

Yamaguchi's Riolu gave an excited yap as her cheeks went even pinker. Yamaguchi could tell she quite liked this new stranger. Popplio and Swirlix seemed just as excited by the idea.

The lost Riolu considered for a moment, his eyes scanning the four once more before nodding quietly.

Yamaguchi's Riolu gave a loud yip of joy before she ran forward and latched onto the arm of the lost Riolu. The lost Riolu seemed quite surprised but didn't make to shake her off. Popplio gave a bark of amusement and Yamaguchi wondered if he should try to remove her or not.

"Well, I guess you're coming with us, then," Yamaguchi shrugged as he saw hearts grow in his Riolu's eyes.

With a new member in toe, Yamaguchi headed back into the woods. He had an objective at hand and while he wasn't going to abandon a lost baby Pokemon, he also wasn't going to forget about Tsukki. They just needed one more ingredient to make the remedy. Looking at the map, he headed in what he assumed to be the direction of the rocky area.

Popplio and Swirlix kept pace with Yamaguchi while Yamaguchi's Riolu stayed latched onto the arm of the lost Riolu. Yamaguchi had to admit that it was quite cute. His Riolu was so genuine with her affection he sort of felt jealous that he couldn't be as open about his own.

Almost half an hour had passed as the group walked circles in the forest. Yamaguchi knew he was lost, but he just couldn't bring himself to give up. He had to find that yellow flower! He had to help Tsukki feel better. But deep down, he knew he couldn't stay away from the camp much longer. He needed to get back eventually to be sure Tsukki was being properly looked after.

Stopping for a brief moment, Yamaguchi's eyes scanned the tablet as he tried to figure out if he was just that bad at directions or if the GPS was off. He gave a small huff but felt his stomach drop as a loud rustling could be heard from the other side of a rather large bush. With his motherly instinct kicking in, he stood his ground in front of his Pokemon. Despite his brave action, he was sure his face held nothing but horror as he looked to the bush. Whatever was in it sounded huge.

As the creature emerged from the bush, Yamaguchi gave rather large shout that echoed through the trees.

"Why are you yelling like that?" A familiar face flatly asked as he wiped leave off his shoulders.

"Wh-Wha…" Yamaguchi sputtered, his mouth opening and closing like a beached Magikarp. "K-Kageyama!?'

"What?" Kageyama shrugged as he approached Yamaguchi in a very deadpan manner.

"Wh-What are you… why were you in that bush?" Yamaguchi got out, unable to decide on what questions he wanted to ask.

"I was looking for someone," Kageyama shrugged.

Yamaguchi didn't know Kageyama too well. He had only met the guy once or twice, and they hadn't even talked with one another too much at the time. Kageyama always looked so angry half the time and generally unapproachable. Honestly, Yamaguchi was a little scared of him now, but if Yachi trusted him as a friend then he couldn't be that bad of a guy.

"Looking for someone?" Yamaguchi perked up, wondering if he had finally reunited with Yachi and Hinata again.

Kageyama gave a small nod before his eyes landed on the lost Riolu. "Oh, I found them…" he said. "You shouldn't run off like that," Kageyama flatly scolded, though it came across as a bit unemotional.

Kageyama's Riolu gave a neutral grunt as it slipped its arm away from Yamaguchi's Riolu and returned to his trainers side.

"Oh, so he's yours?" Yamaguchi asked, trying not to come across as rude.

"He's always running off like this," Kageyama said with a small nod. "Thank you for caring for him," he added in what almost felt like a shy way.

"N-Not a problem," Yamaguchi insisted, nodding a bit more furiously than he meant to. "I'm happy that you two have been reunited."

"I owe you for this," Kageyama replied bluntly. "He can be a handful."

"No, it's okay," Yamaguchi said, raising his hands to show he was fine with just a thank you. "My own Riolu really seemed to enjoy his company." With that his Riolu gave a loud bark of agreement, her eyes were still full of hearts

"I'll have to do something," Kageyama shot back, blatantly ignoring Yamaguchi's reply. "If there is anything…"

"I really don't…" Yamaguchi began before the wheels in his head began to turn. "Well, there is one thing…"

"Shoot," Kageyama replied in mild curiosity.

"Well, I'm trying to find a location on the map," Yamaguchi started, pulling up the tablet map. "Maybe you might know how to get there."

Kageyama leaned in close to Yamaguchi as he looked at the map. "You smell nice," he commented as he leaned over Yamaguchi's shoulder. "Kind of like pancakes or something."

"Oh, yeah! I had pancakes for breakfast," Yamaguchi admitted, going red in the face from Kageyama's blunt compliment. Was he always this socially awkward?

"It's nice," Kageyama flatly insisted, his eyes never leaving the map.

A moment of silence hung between the two. Yamaguchi knew his face was growing hotter. How could Kageyama speak with such little tact?

"I'll get you there," Kageyama finally spoke up as he gave Yamguchi a bit of space.

Yamaguchi felt his face return to normal temperature. He looked to Kageyama to find that the other trainer seemed completely unphased. Kageyama was such a strange guy and Yamaguchi could not get a read on him. Nonetheless, he felt he could trust him. If Yachi could, then so could he.

"L-Lead the way than," Yamaguchi insisted, doing his best to regain his composure, though it didn't seem like Kageyama had noticed his blushing and such.

"Right this way," Kageyama motioned in the direction he had come.

Yamaguchi followed after Kageyama, doing his best to not trip over himself in his nerves. Yamaguchi's Riolu gave a small bark of joy as she latched herself onto Kageyama's Riolu. Kageyama's Riolu stoot stoic but didn't move to pull away.

Author Notes:

Well now, fancy meeting Kageyama of all people out in the woods. I wonder if he is really going to be able to help Yamaguchi find that last ingredient? Will Tsukki be okay while Yamaguchi is away? Will secrets be revealed in the next chapter? You can find out that and more if you stay tuned!

Looks like I was able to get this chapter out in time. I wasn't sure what was going to happen with my trip and all but honestly getting this chapter up is helping me feel better now that my vacation time is over. I hate it when a fun holiday ends but new chapters always help ease the pain. I should get the next chapter out in time next week.

As always, thank you all so much for the wonderful kudos, bookmarks, follows, comments and reviews. I love to hear what my readers think and feedback will always be appreciated so please leave me some feedback if you have the time.

Well, that is all for now! See you next chapter!


	47. The Yellow Flower

Hey all! I'm so happy you all are enjoying the little Tsukkiyama sick fic portion we have stumbled onto in this story. I wonder if Yamaguchi will be able to find the herbs? Will he discover anything about Kageyama? Will he make it back in time to help Tsukki? Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Without further ado, here is chapter 47!

The Yellow Flower

Yamaguchi walked a few paces behind Kageyama. He held Popplio in his arms while Swirlix perched herself on his shoulder. Between himself and Kageyama walked both the Riolu's. Yamaguchi's Riolu latched herself quite firmly to Kageyama's Riolu.

The two trainers walked in silence. Yamaguchi wondered if Kageyama wasn't much of a talker. This was something Yamaguchi wasn't a stranger to, being best friends with Tsukki and all but Kageyama was basically a stranger to him. He didn't even know where to start with small talk.

Several times Yamaguchi would glance Kageyama's way to try and get a read on him. Did Kageyama feel just as awkward as he did? Kageyama's expression only stayed the same, with lips sporting a small scowl and his stern eyes fixed forward. Though Kageyama looked angry, Yamaguchi didn't sense any sort of malice or angry aura exuding from him.

Thoughts of Hinata and Yachi passed through his mind as he tried to decide if he should bring them up. The two were basically the only thing he had in common with Kageyama at the moment. His rational side kept telling him to leave the subject alone for now. From what he heard from Yachi, the parting hadn't been all that great and the last thing Yamaguchi needed was to actually anger Kageyama.

"So, why do you want to go to this place anyways?" Kageyama spoke, his gruff voice breaking the silence.

Yamaguchi jumped ever so slightly at the question, not expecting Kageyama to talk first. "Oh, I'm looking for an herb! I read that it grows during this season in rocky terrain."

"An herb?" Kageyama questioned, glancing Yamaguchi's way a bit. He slowed his pace as well so that the two were not walking side by side.

"Yeah, Tsukki woke up with a fever and we are out of fever medication," Yamaguchi explained, worry filling his features at the mention of his sick friend.

"Tsukishima is sick?" Kageyama hummed in mild surprise. "He seemed fine yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Yamaguchi questioned, looking to Kageyama with wide eyes. "Did you two meet yesterday?"

"What? He didn't tell you?" Kageyama asked, a hint of annoyance in his dark eyes.

"No," Yamagchi replied with a small shake of his head.

Kageyama gave a pout at the answer. "He probably just embarrassed that he lost to me in a battle," he grumbled.

"You two battled?" Yamaguchi questioned, his voice much louder than he intended. "And Tsukki lost!?"

"That's what I said," Kageyama shot back bluntly. "He's rude, and kind of a sore loser, too."

"Hey, don't talk like that about Tsukki!" Yamaguchi scolded, his natural instinct to protect his friend kicking in. "Tsukki is a great trainer"

"Well, if he's such a great trainer then why wasn't he able to defeat a single Pokemon on my team?" Kageyama shot back in his defence.

"Maybe it's because he was on the verge of catching a cold," Yamaguchi quickly replied, not caring anymore if he angered Kageyama.

"Yeah right," Kageyama challenged. "He probably only caught a cold because he sat around in the rainy weather after our battle."

"What do you know about Tsukki anyways?" Yamaguchi shouted, his voice far louder than he'd originally intended. Stopping in his tracks, he felt his cheeks go red. Kageyama was most likely correct in his accusation, but Yamaguchi hated it when anyone went after Tsukishima like that.

"I know that he is a sore loser," Kageyama foolishly answered, turning on Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt tears welled up in his eyes. He was so frustrated he couldn't find the right words to speak. How could Kageyama speak so bluntly about Tsukki when Tsukki was so sick. Kageyama's stern gaze fell as he looked at how angry Yamaguchi had become.

"You don't have to be so mean about it," Yamaguchi got out, his voice much smaller now as he felt he could burst into tears at any given moment. The stress of the day finally building up in his stomach and chest.

A sorry expression fixed itself on Kageyama's face. He had never intended to upset Yamaguchi. While Tsukishima was a nightmare to be around, Yamaguchi was quite the opposite.

"S-Sorry," Kageyama barely got out, his gaze now fixed on the dirt floor.

Yamaguchi looked to find Kageyama looking quite sorry indeed. He knew Tsukishima was a handful and quite unfriendly as well. He most likely had been rude to Kageyama yesterday resulting in Kageyama accusing him of being a sore loser.

"I'm sorry, too," Yamaguchi replied, shifting uncomfortably. "I didn't mean to get so emotional and all."

A moment of silence hung between the two as the heaviness lifted. Yamaguchi really didn't want to argue with Kageyama and from the looks of it, Kageyama also didn't want to argue with him.

"It's just," Yamaguchi carried on, his tone still quite awkward. "Tsukki is my best friend so please don't talk badly about him around me."

Kageyama glanced his way. His eyes were sharp but his cheeks a bit pink, almost as if this sort of exchange rarely ever happened to him. Perhaps he was used to people blowing up on him and then walking out.

"You're such a nice person," Kageyama started, "I don't understand how you would be friends with someone as rude as Tsukishima," he bluntly pointed out. Yamaguchi couldn't tell if this was meant to be a compliment or an insult.

"Well, he and I have been friends for a very long time," Yamaguchi quietly explained. "He isn't always so spiky, you know, and he's actually a great friend once you get to know him."

Kageyama shot him a very skeptical look but didn't make any sort of retort. "Well, he is very lucky to have you as his friend," Kageyama replied, his demeanor as a whole softening up a bit.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but crack a smile. "Dang right, he's lucky to have me as a best friend," he joked, his chest puffed-out in an imitation of confidence. "They don't come any better."

Kageyama cracked a small smile as he gave a nod in agreement. "Well, if you still want to find that herb, the rocky area on the map is just up ahead," he said, his smile not yet faded.

"Lead the way," Yamaguchi smiled brightly. Perhaps Kageyama wasn't as bad as he originally expected, just hard to read at first.

With that, Kageyama led Yamaguchi further into the woods.

Yamaguchi felt much more at ease now as he walked beside Kageyama. The two partook in only a bit of small chat covering what sort of Pokemon they had caught and how many gym badges (for Kageyama), and keys (for Yamaguchi), had been collected. Yamaguchi was pleased to find out that Kageyama had not seen his Showcase blunder from a few days ago. Not wanting to spoil the good mood Kageyama seemed to be in, he also didn't bother bringing up Hinata and Yachi.

It wasn't long before Kageyama lead Yamaguchi to a much less wooded area.

"We're here," Kageyama announced flatly.

Large rocks jetted from the ground as it led to a very small base of a cliff. Yamaguchi stopped in his tracks, scanning the area for the flower. He didn't see a single one in sight.

Perhaps Kageyama knew what Yamaguchi was thinking for the next thing he said was, "I'm sure we will find that flower if we look around the area a bit."

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi agreed with mild embarrassment from having worn his emotions so blatantly on his face.

Kageyama guided Yamaguchi to the base of the small cliff. As they went, Yamaguchi kept a keen eye out for any yellow flowers. To his dismay, there wasn't a single yellow flower in sight. What if everything had all been for naught? His mind wandered to Tsukki who still slept feverishly in the tent. He hoped Tsukki was okay.

The two trainers and their Pokemon scouted around the cliff's edge for any signs of the flower. They looked between cracks in the cliff, under and between rocks, and even in nearby bushes just in case but not a single flower could be found. Yamaguchi couldn't help but release a defeated sigh.

"Maybe we'd have better luck at the top of the cliff," Kageyama hummed thoughtfully as he sized up the cliff.

Yamaguchi followed Kageyama's gaze up the cliff. It really wasn't a terribly tall cliff. Yamaguchi wondered if it even could be categorized as such. It was probably no taller than a two story apartment building. Even though it was not so high, Yamaguchi had a feeling that climbing it would be far too difficult for him to handle.

"There must be a way around…" Yamaguchi said with much hope in his voice.

"Show me the map again," Kageyama demanded, holding his hand out.

Yamaguchi obliged, handing the tablet over to Kageyama. Kageyama took it and studied it for a long moment. He released a small hum as his brow furrowed.

"It looks like there should be a way around to the top if we go this way," Kageyama pointed. "But it will probably take us well over an hour to get to the top."

Yamaguchi felt a wave of disappointment wash over him. He had hoped to get back to Tsukki sooner than that. If it took an hour to get up there it would take about as much time to get back, which meant he'd be away from camp for over two hours. Would Tsukki be okay with him gone for that long? It was already almost noon. Yamaguchi looked to Kageyama, wondering if the other trainer would even go out of his way to help him any further than this. He shifted where he stood, wanting to ask Kageyama if he would still guide him but couldn't find the words.

"If you want to go you can just say so," Kageyama said impatiently, though he didn't really seem terribly angry at Yamaguchi's reluctance.

Yamaguchi gave a small jump be for squeaking out a rushed "If you wouldn't mind."

"What would make you think I'd mind?" Kageyama gruffly asked. "I said I was going to pay you back for helping my Riolu by finding that flower for you."

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi replied with a small unsure giggle. He didn't quite recall Kageyama wording it like that before. "T-Thanks for helping me."

Kageyama's permanent scowling face studied Yamaguchi for a moment as he gave a curt nod. "Well, let's get a move on," he said before turning in the direction they needed to go.

Yamaguchi hesitated for only a moment, his eyes fixed on Kageyama. It was hard for him to tell when and if Kageyama was upset. He quickly followed after the other trainer, being careful not to trip as he did so.

As the two made their way up a curving incline, Yamaguchi handed Kageyama one of two rice balls he had packed for lunch for himself. "Since we are going to be tracking around a lot longer than expected," Yamaguchi explained as he handed it over to Kageyama.

With a nod of thanks, Kageyama took it from Yamaguchi and examined it closely before unwrapping it and taking a large bite. As he often did when people ate his food, Yamaguchi watches for Kageyama's reaction.

A long 'mmmm' sounded in Kageyama's throat as he swallowed the bite. "Did you make these?" Kageyama asked, looking to Yamaguchi with a hint of shock in his eyes.

With a proud smile, Yamaguchi gave a large nod.

"It's amazing," Kageyama praised, his normal scowling face showing a hint of amazement in it.

"It's just a rice ball," Yamaguchi shrugged, blushing from the compliment.

"Tsukishima is a lucky bastard if he eats like this every day," Kageyama said, his normal scowl back in place.

"Hey, what did I say about bad talking Tsukki," Yamaguchi scolded, sounding more like a mother than anything else.

"Right," Kageyama rolled his eyes.

"But Tsukki is pretty lucky to have me to cook for him," Yamaguchi joked, puffing his chest out like the proud baker he was.

"Asshole probably doesn't even know how lucky he is," Kageyama mumbled almost inaudibly.

"What was that?" Yamaguchi asked, sending Kageyama a not so threatening scowl.

"Nothing…" Kageyama sighed.

The two carried on lightly as they made small talk up the incline. With each step they took Yamaguchi found it easier and easier to talk with Kageyama. Kageyama could be hard to read but once you got to know him he wasn't such a bad guy. He could see why Yachi would hang around him as much as she did.

When the two reached the top of the incline they took a moment to catch their breath and gather themselves. Yamaguchi wouldn't say he was too much out of shape, but he also wasn't a world-class mountain climber, and their Pokemon had much shorter legs than their trainers. Yamaguchi took a moment to make sure all members, including Kageyama's stoic Riolu, were properly hydrated.

"You really are quite good at Pokemon care," Kageyama quietly commented as he watched Yamaguchi feed his Riolu half of an oran berry.

"Oh, thanks," Yamaguchi shrugged, not necessarily the best at receiving compliments. "It's things I've learned since starting showcases."

"Maybe you can teach me someday," Kageyama awkwardly suggested, a very stern scowl was set on his face making it hard to Yamaguchi to tell if he was upset or not.

"Yeah, I could if you wanted me to," Yamaguchi replied just as awkwardly, though he smiled kindly nonetheless. He half wondered if he hadn't learned anything from Yachi or if Kageyama was just naturally an awkward person and was attempting small talk.

Kageyama gave a very curt nod as his cheeks went pink. "Yes. Well, shall we get looking?" he blurted out much louder than necessary.

Yamaguchi flinched slightly from the sudden increase in Kageyama's volume. "Where should we start?" he asked, scanning the area.

"You can search around here," Kageyama replied, motioning to the area they were currently in. "I'll go to the far end and look there," he carried on as he stiffly pointed in the direction he planned to go.

Yamaguchi gave a nod of understanding. "And we can meet back here once we have swept our area?"

"Sounds good," Kageyama agreed. "T-Try not to get lost!" he followed up in what was probably meant to be a caring tone but came across more demanding.

"I'll try not to," Yamaguchi laughed, knowing that as long as he had Popplio and Swirlix with him he didn't have to worry.

With that the two split ways. Kageyama took both the Riolus with him and Yamaguchi kept Swirlix and Popplio by his side. Yamaguchi didn't waste any time in finding the flower. The area he was to sweep was huge, so he knew he needed to work fast.

As he rummaged through bushes and checked in between rocks he did his best not to lose hope. The flower had to be around here somewhere. He hoped to Arceus it wasn't a late bloom. The mere idea set his anxiety off anytime it crossed his mind.

It was when he was checking between two rocks that Yamagucih heard an odd sound. It was a loud snore that came from behind a large bush. Curious, Yamaguchi, Popplio, and Swirlix approached the push and slowly peeked through it. On the other side sat a rather large Loudred who slept just beside a large boulder.

Yamaguchi felt a shiver run down his spine as he examined the Pokemon. It was huge and he knew Loudreds could be violent. He made a note that they needed to be quiet while they searched to not wake it. He was just about to back out of the bush when something caught his eye. Atop the rock the Loudred slept by sat several tiny yellow flowers, the exact flowers that Yamaguchi needed.

Something shifted in Yamaguchi as he realized he had found what he needed. It was a mix of dread but also determination. His mind reeled as he tried to devise a plan to get the flowers without waking the Loudred. Perhaps if they snuck around the other side from behind they could get the flowers and exit without being noticed.

Backing out of the bush, Yamaguchi explained the plan to Swirlix and Popplio. They'd sneak around the back. If Loudred woke up, Yamaguchi and Popplio would distract it with a battle while Swirlix picked the flowers. It was a simple plan but it was all they had. Yamaguchi half hoped Kageyama would show back up and do the battling for him but he was ready to take on the terrifying Pokemon if it meant helping Tsukki.

The three walked around to the other side of the rock and as quietly as they could they slipped into the clearing. Yamaguchi must have had the worst luck in the world for the second they stepped out of the bush the Loudred sat up. Yamaguchi, Popplio, and Swirlix stood as stiff as statues, hoping it would go back to sleep. Instead, the Loudred waddled to the other side of the rock, stopping in its tracks the moment it saw them. Yamaguchi could tell it was none too happy to have been awoken from its nap.

The Loudred took a big gulp of air before blasting what was most definitely an Echoed Voice. Yamaguchi did his best to shield both Popplio and Swirlix, not wanting to have either of them take on so much damage right from the start.

Yamaguchi's head spun as he pushed Swirlix towards the rock. "We'll take care of the Loudred, just get the flowers," He shouted.

Swirlix was reluctant but did as her trainer said. Loudred's angry eyes followed Swirlix as she floated to the large rock.

"Water gun!" Yamaguchi commanded.

A large blast of water knocked the Loudred back, causing its attention to return to Yamaguchi and Popplio.

"We are your opponents," Yamaguchi growled, doing his best to be brave.

The Loudred stopped it's feet before rushing forward. It lashed out as it struck Popplio with a well-placed pound. Yamaguchi gave a horrified cry as Poppplio was slammed to the floor. It was obvious that this Loudred was much stronger, but they only had to hold on until Swirlix returned with the flowers.

"Popplio!" Yamauchi called.

Popplio gave a determined grunt as she stood up. She was still ready to fight.

"Aqua Jet!" Yamaguchi commanded desperately as Loudred came in for another Pound.

The two Pokemon slammed into one another resulting in Popplio being rocketed back and falling hard onto the ground. She didn't move.

"Popplio!" Yamaguchi cried as he rushed forward. He should have known she was not nearly strong enough to take on this Loudred.

The Loudred let loose another roar as he rushed the two. Yamaguchi curled himself around Popplio in an attempt to protect her. He just had to hold on a moment longer. Once Swirlix was back they could run away and with the herb in hand.

Yamaguchi released a pained cry as the Loudred smacked him across the clearing with yet another well-placed Pound. The hit was so strong it had knocked Popplio from Yamaguchi's hold. With the air knocked out of him, Yamaguchi did his best to orient himself. The spot on his back where Loudred struck him throbbed in pain.

Loudred's angry eyes looked between Popplio, who was coming to once more, and Yamaguchi, who was just barely able to sit up.

Not wanting Popplio to be put in any more danger, Yamaguchi picked up a large rock and tossed it at the Loudred, striking in square in the forehead. "Hey, I'm your opponent, you stupid jerk!" Yamaguchi taunted, though he felt like those may be the very last words he would ever speak as the Loudred's angry eyes zoned in on him.

The Loudred roared in anger as it stomped its feet before it charged towards Yamaguchi. Still winded and his back in pain, Yamaguchi struggled to stand. Putting his arms up, he closed his eyes, ready to take another hit.

A loud desperate cry from where Popplio sat could be heard. Yamaguchi cracked his eyes open only to see a flash of glowing blue light. The next thing he knew that Loudred was knocked back by a well placed Aqua Jet.

"Popplio!" Yamaguchi gasped in amazement, but it wasn't Popplio he saw but Brionne who had sent Loudred flying.

The small Brionne trund and sent her trainer a sweet smile.

"You evolved," Yamagucih gasped, tears of joy gathering in his eyes.

Brionne gave a loud bark of encouragement before turning back to the Loudred. Right, they still had a battle at hand. Wasting no more time Yamaguchi jumped back to his feet.

"Brionne, use Water Gun!" Yamaguchi commanded.

With much confidence Brionne did as she was told, sending a much stronger stream of water at the Loudred than when she had been Popplio. The Loudred gave a small shout as it was pushed back onto it bum. It's angry eyes zoned in on Yamaguchi and Brionne. Brionne gave an aggressive bark, daring the Loudred to make the next move. The Loudred's eyes than filled with water as it gave a loud cry. The next thing Yamaguchi knew was the Loudred was on its feet running into the woods as it cried loudly.

Pokemon and trainer sat in shock as they watched the Loudred run away. Had Yamaguchi and Brionne actually won? It took a moment for the shock to wear off, but when it did Yamaguchi found Brionne in his arms cheering loudly. The two hugged as he showered her with praise. This was the first time any of his Pokemon had ever evolved and it felt amazing.

The two then turned their attention to the rock to find Swirlix at the top with a pawful of yellow flowers. She looked amazed by the battle she had just witnessed. Had she froze up at the stop of the rock this whole time? Yamaguchi waved her down and this seemed to break the spell. She soon joined the two in the show of affection.

"You two are simply amazing," Yamaguchi cheered as he held them both in a warm hug. Brionne and Swirlix both barked in agreement.

"Rawr," Riolu barked from Yamaguchi's ankle, spooking Yamaguchi quite a bit.

"Riolu?" Yamaguchi gasped, not expecting her to be at his ankle. He looked around to find Kageyama and his Riolu approaching them.

"Are you okay? I heard a loud crashing noise," Kageyama said, a look of worry breaking through his normally stone cold scowl.

"We're fine," Yamaguchi cheered. "We got the flowers and look!" Yamguchi said, pushing Brionne forward. "She evolved!"

"I can see that," Kageyama flatly replied, though his tone held no sass. "I saw you two take down that Loudred, too. I've never seen one run away crying before."

"I guess it was just upset that its nap was disturbed," Yamaguchi laughed, his smile as bright as ever. He wished he could be sharing this moment with Tsukki, too.

"So you have the herb you needed?" Kageyama asked.

"Right here," Yamaguchi said, motioning to his bag where he had stashed all the herbs.

"I suppose that means we are done here," Kageyama shifted awkwardly as he spoke, his normal scowl back.

"Well actually," Yamaguchi shily replied, shifting awkwardly himself. "I, maybe, might not know the way back," he weakly explained.

Kageyama gave one of his curt nods. "I can walk you back," he confirmed. He seemed almost happy to be doing so.

"If you don't mind, but if you have other things to do-" Yamaguchi began, not wanting to use up any more of Kageyama's time.

"I don't," Kageyama said, quickly cutting Yamaguchi off.

Yamguhi couldn't help but wonder if maybe Kageyama was lonely now what he traveled alone. "Great, thank you!" he replied with a bright smile.

Kageyama's cheeks went pink before turning on his heels. "We don't want to waste any more time with Tsukshima being sick and all," he stated, clearing his throat.

"Right, Tsukki is waiting for me," Yamaguchi agreed, energized now more than ever.

Kageyama led the way back down the incline and through the forest. Yamaguchi followed after, Brionne held triumphantly in his arms. He was just so proud of her! She deserved rest on the way back. Swirlix floated on his shoulder while the two Riolus walked alongside one another just in front of Kageyama.

"I saw that the Loudred gave you quite a blow to the back," Kageyama had asked as they worked their way through the forest. "Are you okay?"

Yamaguchi had almost forgotten about the damage he had taken. His back ached but when compared to the joy he currently felt it was almost unnoticeable.

"I'm feeling fine," Yamaguchi insisted with a large smile to show that he meant it.

Kageyama sent him a frown. "Are you always that reckless?" he flatly asked.

"No..." Yamaguchi replied in mild confusion. Had he been reckless? As far as he knew he was not the reckless type.

Doubt grew in Kageyama's eyes as he looked at Yamaguchi. "Perhaps Tsukishima doesn't have it as easy as I first expected," he grumbled to himself.

Yamaguchi tilted his head to the side. Had he just been insulted? What did Kageyama mean?

"Just make sure you take care of the injury when you get back to camp," Kageyama sighed. He then mumbled something about Tsukishima and worry.

"I will, after I make the remedy for Tsukki," Yamaguchi agreed.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi found himself back at the campsite. They had been gone for over three hours. Salazzle sat at attention just outside the tent. When she saw Yamaguchi she ran to him, greeting him like a dog would when it's beloved owner returned. Perhaps she had been worried for him. When her eyes caught sight of Kageyama she let loss a low hiss. Kageyama replied with a scowl.

"It's okay, Salazzle," Yamaguchi gently assured. "Kageyama is here to help me take care of Tsukki."

Salazze sent Kageyama a weary leer but allowed him to enter the campsite.

"Well, I should probably go," Kageyama mumbled, knowing when he wasn't wanted around.

"Wait, don't go yet," Yamaguchi quickly said. "I still need to thank you for your help."

"I don't need any thanks," Kageyama flatly shot back. "Besides, I did all this to thank you!"

"But you did way more for me than I did-" Yamaguchi argued back before being cut off.

"I said I don't need thanks," Kageyama snapped.

Salazzle hissed, not liking the tone Kageyama was taking with Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi sent Kageyama a hurt glance.

Kageyama shifted uncomfortably. "S-sorry for raising my voice," he awkwardly apologised. "I just think it would be best if I go before Tsukishima wakes up."

Yamaguchi sent Kageyama a soft smile. Perhaps it would be better to avoid conflict. He felt bad seeing Kageyama leave after all he had done for him today.

"Wait a moment then," Yamaguchi softly spoke before rummaging through his bag. From it, he pulled out three cans of his homemade Pokemon chow and loaf of homemade bread. He passed them over to Kageyama. "Take these as thanks. It's the least I could do. You really helped me out today," Yamaguchi explained with a genuine smile.

Kageyama's cheeks went pink as he took the gifts, mumbling a quiet "Thanks."

Yamaguchi gave a small nod as his smile grew. He was really grateful to have been able to get to know Kageyama today. He made a mental note to message Yachi to let her know that he was doing fine.

"Well, I better be on my way," Kageyama grumbled as he motioned for his Riolu to part ways with Yamaguchi's Riolu.

Kageyama's Riolu did as he was told, slipping out of his new friends hold and returning to the side of his trainer. Yamaguchi's Riolu gave a small sad sigh but didn't chase after him.

"Don't worry, we'll see them around again," Yamaguchi insisted. "And until then, you two take care," he said, smiling at Kageyama once more.

"Sure," Kageyama replied in a very grumpy awkward way. "You take care as well. No more being reckless, too."

"Don't worry, I won't," Yamaguchi insisted. Kageyama didn't believe him fully.

With that, the two trainers parted ways. Yamaguchi watched as Kageyama disappeared into the forest. He half hoped that Kageyama was okay and not too lonely. He stood there for a long moment, this worry settling into the back of his mind. His thoughts were cut short when he heard a loud cough coming from the tent. He still had Tsukki he needed to tend to.

Author Notes:

Congratulations to our dear Yamaguchi and Brionne! Yamaguchi's love and care for his Pokemon is finally paying off! He was also able to befriend old Kageyama as well. I wonder how that will develop? I wonder how Tsukki will take it when/if he finds out? Speaking of Tsukki, I hope this remedy helps him out!

As always, the next chapter should be up on time next weekend. Please keep an eye out for it.

Thank you all so much for the kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers. Feedback really does give me fuel to write more so if you have time please do drop me a comment or review.

See you all next chapter!


	48. Nurse Yamaguchi

Hey all. The time has come. Chapter 48 is ready for your viewing. Will Yamaguchi's remedy help Tsukki's fever or will Yamaguchi have to do something else to help his best friend get better? Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Without further ado, chapter 48!

Nurse Yamaguchi

With Kageyama gone, Yamaguchi wasted very little time in checking up on Tsukki. He took notice that nothing seemed out of place in camp so he assumed Tsukki hadn't woken up while he was away. When Yamaguchi entered the tent, the first thing he noticed was how warm and stuffy it was. He unzipped one of the windows just a crack so that some fresh air could be let in. He then turned his attention to the sleeping Tsukki.

Beside Tsukki, Eevee slept soundly. On the other side of Tsukki sat Servine who looked exhausted. Yamaguchi released her of her duties, allowing her some time outside the tent to relax. He bent down to check on his best friend. Salazzle curved around him from behind as she sent her trainer a very concerned look.

Yamaguchi gently placed his hand upon Tsukki's forehead and found that it was still quite clammy and just as hot as it had been when he had left, which sent a jolt of worry through Yamaguchi. Tsukki wasn't getting better on his own. He half considered waking Tsukki up but decided to let him rest a bit longer while he mixed the remedy.

Exiting the tent, Yamaguchi put Brionne in charge of caring for Tsukki while he got to work on the fever remedy. With the help of Salazzle and Swirlix Yamaguchi got to measure out the ingredients and crushing them as it was instructed in his book. As he did this he set some water to boil. Yamaguchi was careful to make sure the correct amount of each herb was poured into Tsukki's mug before he added the exact amount of water. While the remedy seeped, he got to work on another helping of rice porridge for Tsukki.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi had the remedy, soup, and a plate of diced Oran berries in hand. It was a bit late for lunch but Yamaguchi knew he needed to make sure Tsukki was still taking in food for energy. He carefully entered the tent, setting the remedy and food down on his side of the tent to be sure it didn't spill as he manouved himself. He was surprised to find that Tsukki hadn't done much as moved in his sleep. With one hand, he gently gave Tsukki a shake.

"Tsukki… Tsukki, wake up," Yamaguchi gently said as he nudged Tsukki.

Tsukishima gave a small moan and a few congested coughs but resisted in opening his eyes. A jolt of worry passed through Yamaguchi. What if Tsukki was too sick to even wake up?

"Tsukki, you need to get up," Yamaguchi repeated a bit louder but still did his best to be gentle. "You need to take your medicine and eat some food."

Tsukishima groaned once more, turning away from Yamaguchi. "Not hungry," he replied in a very scratchy voice.

"You have to, Tsukki," Yamaguchi insisted. "At least drink the remedy I made. It will help with your fever."

Tsukishima released another scratchy groan but rolled over to face Yamaguchi. As he cracked his tired eyes open he was greeted with a gentle smile from Yamaguchi. It was somehow refreshing to see.

"Good morning, Tsukki," Yamaguchi greeted, unintentionally caressing Tsukki's cheek as he did so. The touch was gentle and nothing but affectionate. He was so happy to see Tsukki awake.

"Is it morning again?" Tsukishima asked, the act of doing so sounding very difficult in his feverish state.

"No, not really," Yamaguchi giggled, making sure not to be too loud as he did so. "You have only been asleep for a few hours but I have a remedy here to help drop your fever."

Tsukishima attempted to sit up, only to have Yamaguchi immediately help him do so. If he had more energy he would have refused the help but at the moment he could barely keep his eyes open. He also didn't mind when the help was coming from Yamaguchi. "Where is it?" He asked, coughed a few times after doing so.

"Here," Yamaguchi said as he picked up the mug.

The mug was only about a fourth full. It's contents was that of a darkish green color and looked to be very thick. It smelled almost floral but Tsukishima's nose was far too clogged to pick up on its scent. It didn't look terribly appetizing but with the way Yamaguchi looked to him, Tsukishima felt that refusing it would be nothing but a disservice to the happiness of the world.

"It's probably going to be bitter, but you have to drink all of it," Yamaguchi instructed, sounding very much like a mother.

Tsukishima was not a fan of bitter foods but nodded in understanding. He then plugged his nose, nodding that he was ready to take in the remedy. Carefully Yamaguchi tilted the mug, making sure none of it spilled as it poured into Tsukki's mouth. Tsukishima's nose scrunched up as he took the remedy shot. The substance was thick and bitter and even though he had swallowed it down the flavor still hung around in his mouth.

"Bleh," Tsukishima gasped as he stuck out his tongue. "That was horrible. Next time cut it with some honey or something."

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologised, kicking himself for not thinking of that himself. He quickly passed a slice of Oran berry to Tsukki. "Here, use this as a chaser."

Tsukishima took the slice and shoved it in his mouth before taking a few more and doing the same thing. Yamaguchi hoped that the remedy worked. He didn't know if he could stand this much longer if Tsukki didn't show signs of getting better soon.

"Do you want some rice porridge?" Yamaguchi asked as he picked up the small bowl he had prepared for Tsukki.

"Might as well, since I'm up," Tsukishima shrugged.

Once more, Yamaguchi helped Tsukki with eating the porridge, feeding him small spoonfuls. Tsukisima fussed over the babying but allowed Yamaguchi to do so. Yamaguchi half wondered if Tsukki would even remember this when he was feeling better. Part of him hoped he would, but another part of him was a bit embarrassed.

When Tsukishima was finished, Yamaguchi took a moment to wipe Tsukki's face and chest down with a damp towel to help freshen him up a bit. Tsukishima pouted as Yamaguchi did so but did seem to enjoy affection. Once Tsukki was all cleaned up and had downed a whole glass of water, Yamaguchi carefully tucked him back in and put him to sleep again.

"I'll come back to check on you in a bit. I'll be right outside the tent so if you need me just call out," Yamaguchi explained as he exited the tent.

"Yeah, yeah, thanks mom," Tsukishima mumbled from under the covers.

Yamaguchi stifled a small giggle as he zipped the tent shut. He hated Tsukki being so sick but there was something nice about pampering his crush like this. He still hoped Tsukki would get better as soon as possible.

While Tsukki slept, Yamaguchi busied himself with preparing dinner for the Pokemon and himself. He also worked on stitching a small jacket he planned to give to Riolu when it was finished. One arm turned out super wonky so he worked on fixing that, as well as adding detail here and there.

Salazzle and Eevee sat by Yamaguchi's side as he did so. Swirlix slept upon the backpacks while Riolu and Brionne played quietly around the campsite. Brionne was trying to make bubbles big enough so that Riolu could fit in them. All the while, Servine watch from the branches of a tall tree. It was a peaceful late afternoon and Yamaguchi wished Tsukki could have been well enough to enjoy it with them.

After a few hours passed, Yamaguchi peeked back into the tent to find Tsukki sleeping peacefully. He laid a gentle hand on Tsukki's forehead and was relieved to find that the fever had indeed gone down. Tsukki still sounded quite congested but the fever was lowering. To be sure he took Tsukki's temperature once more and found it to be at 37.8 degrees celsius. Much better than it had been before but still higher than he wanted it to be at. He'd have to make another batch of the remedy for Tsukki to take before bed.

Without waking Tsukki up, Yamaguchi left the tent to tend to dinner once more. He made himself a small helping of pasta with a tomato berry cream sauce. Once he had fed all the Pokemon and finished his meal, he made one last helping of rice porridge for Tsukki and another batch of the remedy, cutting with some honey as per Tsukki's request. He juiced a few berries as well before bringing it all into the tent.

He gently woke Tsukki up and was happy to see that he looked even better than when he had checked on him before.

"Hey, Tsukki," Yamaguchi greeted with one of his bright smiles. He couldn't hide how happy he was to see Tsukki looking even better.

As Tsukishima crack his eyes open he felt his heart skip a beat at how happy Yamaguchi looked to see him awake. To hide how flustered he was he asked a gruff "More of that remedy?" as he sat up, this time being able to do it on his own.

"Sorry, but yes," Yamaguchi shrugged as he placed the mug in Tsukishima hands. "But this time I added some honey so hopefully it's better."

Tsukishima gave a small nod before lifting the mug to his lips and downing the remedy. It wasn't much better even with the honey. It still tasted like drinking something floral but this time it had the added mix of the sweet honey. Tsukisima imagined that this must be what if felt like to drink hand lotion.

"Better?" Yamguchi asked, scrunching his nose up in hope.

"A bit," Tskishima lied, unable to hide the lie on his face as his nose scrunched up.

"But it seems to be working," Yamaguchi pointed out. "Your fever has gone down."

"So it has," Tsukishima nodded. He did feel much more aware of himself now than he had earlier.

"Do you want some dinner? I made more porridge and here is some juice," Yamaguchi said, handing the food and drink off to Tsukki.

Without a word, Tsukishima received the food and drink. By the way Tsukishima was able to eat on his own, Yamaguchi could tell that he was much better than he had been this morning. Relief rushed through Yamaguchi as he watched his friend take the last bite of his meal. Though Tsukki still looked like a mess with his hair sticking up in all directions his face was much less red and he didn't seem to be nearly as sweaty as he had been.

"What?" Tsukisima snapped as he caught Yamaguchi staring.

"Oh, I'm just so happy you're feeling better," Yamaguchi blushed as he quickly looked away. "Sorry for staring…"

"I'm only better because of your hard work," Tsukishima mumbled as he handed the empty bowl off to Yamaguchi, refusing to look Yamaguchi in the eye.

"It wasn't that hard," Yamaguchi shrugged, unable to hide his smile from the compliment. "You're my best friend, Tsukki, and I'd do it all over again if it came to it," he admitted as his mind wandered to the ordeal of finding the herbs for the remedy.

"Well, I don't plan on getting sick again anytime soon but I'll be sure to contact Nurse Yamaguchi the next time it happens," Tsukishima said from under the covers. "It was because of his gentle touch that I'm better now."

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go bright red. What was Tsukki talking about? It took everything in Yamaguchi not to make an ungodly high-pitched noise of both joy and embarrassment. Fever Tsukki was far too honest for Yamaguchi's heart.

"Well, I'll leave you to rest," Yamaguchi said as he quickly stood up. "I'll check on you one more time before I go to bed," and with that, he slipped out of the tent.

It took several minutes for Yamaguchi's heart to settle down. Has Tsukki always been this sappy? Why would he say something so sweet to him? It wasn't like Tsukki at all but Yamaguchi liked it.

As the sun went down, Yamaguchi tidied up around the tent. He recalled all the Pokemon to their Pokeballs leaving only Eevee and Salazle out to accompany him for the night. With the forest now dark, having Salazzle as protection helped keep Yamaguchi calm.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi turned in for the night. He entered the tent to find Tsukki sound asleep. He considered waking Tsukki up but decided against it. He instructed Salazzle to wake him when and if Tsukki woke up.

It wasn't until Yamaguchi as in his sleeping back that he realized how exhausted he really was. So much had happened that day. He found Tsukki sick, ran into Kageyama in the forest, hunted for those herbs, battled a Loudred, Popplio evolved into Brionne, _and_ he was able to nurse Tsukki back to health. He couldn't remember a time where he got so much done in one day. With his body exhausted, it wasn't long before he passed out.

The next thing he knew he felt Salazzle nudging him awake.

"Let him sleep," Tsukishima sharp voice followed. "I'm fine, you don't need to wake him up."

In most cases, Yamaguchi was very difficult to wake up from a deep sleep but when he remembered Tsukki had been sick, Yamaguchi sat up almost right away.

"T-Tsukki, are you awake?" Yamaguchi asked as he fought to open his tired heavy eyes.

"I'm fine, so go back to sleep," Tsukishima snapped in reply.

Yamaguchi rubbed the sleep from his eyes as his vision came into focus. Tsukki was sitting up in his bed. He looked much better than before. He could see that the sun was indeed up but he had no clue what time it was. A sleep smile formed on Yamaguchi's lips.

"Tsukki, you look much better. We should check your fever," Yamaguchi mumbled as he stumbled out of his sleeping bag, his dopey smile still plastered on his face.

"Yamaguchi, I told you I am fine," Tsukishima snapped. "I don't need you babying me!"

"You sound much better, too," Yamaguchi commented, happy to see that Tsukki's sass had returned.

Tsukishima released an indignant 'tch'.

Yamaguchi fumbled the thermometer in his tired hands as he handed it off to Tsukki. "Just take your temperature so I can relax," Yamaguchi said as he stifled a yawn.

"Fine," Tsukishima grumbled as he stuck the thermometer in his ear.

As they waited for the thermometer to sound Yamaguchi check his clock to find that it was only 5 am. Had they both really slept that soundly? Yamaguchi felt as if he had only just closed his eyes. Perhaps yesterday's adventure took more out of him than he realized.

The thermometer beeped and Tsukishima checked it. "I'm fine," he flatly said.

"Show me," Yamaguchi yawned as he took the thermometer from Tsukki. It read 37 degrees celsius. A rush of relief washed through Yamaguchi. Thankfully, Tsukki's temperature was back to normal.

"Told you I'm fine," Tsukishima grumbled, his voice still quite congested despite his fever being gone.

"I'm so happy you're okay," Yamaguchi said with a sigh of relief. "I was so scared when I woke up yesterday and found you with that fever. I didn't know what to do."

"Well, you must have known something because I'm all better now," Tsukishima shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, but I wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of my team," Yamaguchi nodded, as he did his best not to cry from the intense emotional relief he felt.

"Well, I know I'm still a bit tired so I'm going back to sleep and you should as well," Tsukisima shrugged as he lay back down in bed.

"Is there anything you need before going back to sleep?" Yamguchi asked, not yet returning to his bed.

"Go to bed, Yamaguchi. I am fine," Tsukisima commanded in a scratchy mumble.

"If you need anything just wake me up," Yamaguchi insisted earnestly.

"Go to bed," Tsukishima repeated gruffly.

"Right, I'm going back to bed," Yamagucih replied, not wanting to push Tsukki too much.

As he lay back in his sleeping bag he couldn't help but smile. He laid on his side as he studied Tsukki quietly. He was so happy Tsukki was better. He would have been in a full out panic if Tsukki was still feverish today.

"You're staring is keeping me awake," Tsukisima mumbled.

"Ah! Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi squeaked as he rolled over to face the wall of the tent. He felt embarrassment wash over him. He had been caught staring at Tsukki once again.

It didn't take long for both the trainers and Pokemon to settle back in. When Yamaguchi woke again the sun was much higher in the sky and he found himself quite alone in the tent. He scampered out of his sleeping bag and out of the tent to find Tsukki lounging by the campfire. He sipped something warm from his mug. He looked almost back to his normal self.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi cheered as the tripped getting out of the tent.

"Morning," Tsukishima greeted calmly.

"Tsukki, you're better," Yamaguchi praised as he took a seat next to his best friend. He once again could not hide the joy he currently felt.

"We established that earlier this morning," Tsukishima flatly replied, his eyes betraying him as he looked affectionately to Yamaguchi.

"I was worried you know," Yamaguchi found himself saying. "You came back late, soaking wet and the next morning you were so sick. You worried me."

"You're always worried," Tsukishima signed, though he couldn't hide his guilt. "Sorry for worrying you more though," he added on, his tone much softer.

"No more worrying me like that, Tsukki," Yamaguchi scolded like a doting mother.

"Sorry, mom," Tsukishima sighed. "I promise not to do that again."

"You better not," Yamaguchi mumbled. He didn't know if his heart could handle it.

Yamaguchi than took to feeding all the Pokemon, demanding that Tsukki rest a bit more. His fever had only just gone down. It was when Yamaguchi served them both up fluffy pancakes that Tsukki noticed it.

"Is that… Did Popplio evolve?" Tsukishima gasped as he watched Brionne finish off the last of her meal.

"Oh, yeah, yesterday while you were sleeping she evolved," Yamaguchi shrugged.

Tsukishima looked to Yamauchi with wide eyes. What had he missed? Did someone or something cause trouble while he was asleep yesterday? He returned his attention to his breakfast, not wanting his worry to show so blatantly. He mumbled a soft "congratulations" before taking a bite of his breakfast.

"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied with one of his starry smiles.

Breakfast was done and over with pretty quickly. The two argued over whether they should pack up and move on or stay for another night. Yamaguchi knew Tsukki needed another day of rest. The tall trainer still sounded quite congested and while his fever was gone he still looked tired. Despite Tsukki's insistence that he was okay, Yamaguchi won out in the end. He did not need to tickle fate and allow Tsukki to relapse. He didn't know if his heart could handle it.

The two putzed around the campsite, both relaxing as they did so. Yamaguchi read through a few books and finished off his jacket for Riolu while Tsukki took a long nap. Yamaguchi knew Tsukki wasn't 100% back to his old self. Despite feeling justified, he knew better than to pester Tsukki about being right.

It was late afternoon when Tsukishima woke from his nap. He was greeted by a topless Yamaguchi who seemed to be changing his shirt. Yamaguchi gave a small start as Tsukishima sat up in his bed.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Yamaguchi gasped, peaking over his shoulder. "Eevee spilled some Pecha Berry juice all down my front."

"No, I probably shouldn't sleep too much anyway," Tsukishima replied as he studied his best friend. His eyes unintentionally wandered across Yamaguchi's toned back before they landed on something that wasn't normally there.

"So, I was thinking of maybe making stew for dinner tonight," Yamaguchi said as he rummaged through his bag for a clean shirt.

"Where did that bruise come from?" Tsukishima asked as his eyes studied the large purple welt on Yamaguchi's right shoulder blade. It looked almost as if someone had hit him. Had this been a product of what caused Popplio to evolve?

Yamaguchi gave a small jump at the question. With a clean shirt in hand, he turned to face Tsukki. "I don't know what you're talking about," he blatantly lied. Yamaguchi could tell by the look on Tsukki's face that he didn't buy it.

"What exactly happened yesterday while I was sleeping?" Tsukishima flatly asked.

It wasn't his run-in with the Loudred that made Yamaguchi nervous but his run-in with Kageyama. He had a feeling that Tsukki was most likely still upset about losing to the other trainer the day before. The last thing he wanted to do was sour Tsukki's mood when he should be focusing on recovery.

"Well, yesterday we had to go find some herbs for your remedy and during that time I ran into a Loudred," Yamaguchi explained as he clumsily pulled his shirt over his head. "Popplio and I battled it. She took some damage, I took some damage, she evolved into Brionne we got the herb…" Yamaguchi weakly shrugged hoping Tsukki would take that answer, since it was only a lie by omission.

Tsukishima studied Yamaguchi. He could tell there were missing bits of the story. Perhaps Yamaguchi just didn't want to worry him.

"What have you done to treat it?" Tsukishima tested, his eyes still studying Yamaguchi closely.

"Noting… It's just a bruise," Yamaguchi shrugged, turning that shoulder away from Tsukki just a bit.

"It's a bruise the size of my hand," Tsukishima shot back, as he scooted closer to Yamaguchi. "Let me look at it closer." It wasn't a question and he didn't wait for Yamaguchi's approval.

Yamaguchi gave a small "eep" as Tsukki scooted behind him and pulled up the back of his shirt. "I'm fine, Tsukki," Yamaguchi mumbled but did nothing to stop his best friend.

Tsukishima's brow furrowed. The bruise was a horrible dark color and looked quite painful. "You're too reckless sometimes, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima scolded sharply.

"I know. Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied as he deflated like a scolded child.

"A blow like this could break a bone, you know that, right," Tsukishima carried on sharply as he examined the welt.

"Kageyama said the same thing but I obviously haven't broken anything! I'm fine," Yamaguchi sighed.

"Just because you can still use it doesn't mean-" Tsukishima shot back before stopping abruptly. "Did you say Kageyama?"

"N-No," Yamaguchi stuttered, mentally kicking himself for letting this slip. He could feel Tsukki's eyes on the back of his neck. "He helped me with finding the herbs for your remedy," he admitted, peeking over his shoulder to find Tsukki looking quite upset.

"Kageyama helped you find the herbs…?" Tsukishima asked, his tone and body both rigid.

Yamaguchi gave a small sorry nod. "Tsukki, please don't be angry. I just ran into him in the woods when I was searching-" Yamaguchi started as he tried not to panic.

"I'm not angry," Tsukisima cut Yamaguchi off. He was clearly annoyed.

Yamaguchi peaked further over his shoulder to find Tsukki doing his best not to show his frustration.

"Tsukki-" Yamagucih started carefully.

"I said I'm not angry," Tsukishima repeated as he returned his attention to Yamaguchi's shoulder. "Hand me the first aid kit. There is some cooling cream in there that will help with easing the pain."

Yamaguchi handed Tsukki the first aid kit. He hoped Tsukki was gentle as he put the cream on his back. He winced when Tsukki's fingers made contact with his skin, not because it was rough but because of how cold they were.

"You need to stop being so reckless, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima quietly scolded as he gently rubbed the cooling cream on the angry bruise. "You always rush into things and come out covered in cuts and bruises."

"Do not," Yamaguchi mumbled. There was a difference between reckless and clumsy and yamaguchi knew he was anything but reckless. How could he be reckless when he was such a coward?

"If that's so then how come I find myself tending to your injuries at least once a week," Tsukishima growled back, his tone holding more concern than real anger.

"I don't get injured that often," Yamaguchi replied sounding very much like a small child.

"I'll start keeping a tally and then maybe you'll realize," Tsukishima mumbled more to himself than to Yamaguchi.

"I'm not reckless," Yamaguchi pouted.

"And no more wandering around the forest alone without me," Tsukishima carried on. "We don't need riff-raff like Kageyama being a bad influence on you."

"Kageyama isn't riff-raff," Yamaguchi said as he failed to stifle a laugh.

"Well he obviously was the one who led you to this injury," Tsukishima growled. The idea of Yamaguchi and Kageyama wandering around the forest alone rubbed him the wrong way.

"Thanks mom, but I don't need you screening all the friends I make," Yamaguchi joked as he felt Tsukishima pull his shirt down. He turned to find Tsukki looking both frustrated but happy.

"I'm not your mom and I don't want you bringing any more bad influences into this camp," Tsukisima flatley replied. "Especially that Kageyama," he said with a very sour face.

Kageyama was quite nice but Yamaguchi knew better than to argue that with Tsukki about it. "I'll have you know that I have a great judge in character. My very best friend is nothing but grade A quality," Yamaguchi proudly shot back as he sent Tsukki a cheeky wink.

Tsukishima's cheeks went pink.

"I'm talking about you," Yamaguchi whispered, enjoying finally getting one over on Tsukki.

Tsukki's cheeks fully went red. For once he was at a loss of words. Perhaps his fever was coming back or maybe Yamaguchi's bright smile was too blinding for him to think.

Yamaguchi's cheeky smile only grew.

"No more reckless behaviour," Tsukishima decided on as he stiffly stood up and left the tent.

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh as he watched Tsukki go. It was nice winning one over Tsukki every now and then.

Author Notes:

Aww well wasn't that just sweet. Something we all really needed after the past few chapters. I wonder what this means for Yamaguchi and Tsukki? Will they ever just confess to one another or will they beat around the bush a bit longer? I wonder how Tsukki is really feeling after his loss to Kageyama? Will Yamaguchi be able to help keep Tsukki's spirits up? That are more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all! Yup, next chapter should be up in time not problem next week so keep an eye out.

As always, I love hearing from you all. Thank you all so much for the bookmarks, follows, reviews and comments. Feedback is what fuels me so please do comment if you have time. I must know you're thoughts my readers! I must!

Well, that is all for now. See you all next chapter!


	49. Pecha Berry Shortcake

Hey there readers. I am feeling quite under the weather so I apologies for any mistakes I may have over looked. My beta, as always, has done an amazing job. Let's see what befalls out two favorite trainers in chapter 49 (I can't belive i've written 49 chapters. Is this fic getting too long?)

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, Chapter 49!

Pecha Berry Shortcake

With Tsukki still getting over his cold, they made slower progress than normal as they headed towards Shalour City. Yamaguchi was not going to allow for Tsukki's cold to turn into something worse, so they only traveled a few hours each day and stopped to rest often. Tsukki complained that he was fine and that Yamaguchi needed to calm down but Yamaguchi wouldn't hear any of it. He did not want to go through the stress of caring for a feverish Tsukki out in the forest again any time soon.

They currently headed out of a Pokemon center they had stayed the night and down the last stretch of path that led to Shalour City. According to Tsukki's calculations, they would make it to the city in about two days if they stopped taking the breaks that Yamaguchi insisted on.

"But, Tsukki, your cold can turn into pneumonia if you're not careful," Yamaguchi whined when Tsukki said they were not going to stop every hour to rest.

"My cold isn't going to turn into anything because I'm already over it, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima grumbled for what felt like the 100th time. "I haven't coughed in over a day now. I think I'm over it."

"But, Tsukki, what if-" Yamaguchi pressed before Tsukki shot him a warning glare, cutting him short. He rarely ever used such looks on Yamaguchi and Yamaguchi got the hint. He gave a small pout, giving up on the argument.

The two walked in silence that was a bit more tense than normal. Yamaguchi knew he had probably gone overboard with his pestering and Tsukki started to feel guilty for using his sharp scowl on Yamaguchi.

"Listen, I appreciate your worry and care, Yamaguchi, but I'm fine now," Tsukishima eventually sighed, not liking the pout he saw on Yamaguchi's lips.

"Sorry for not shutting up about it," Yamaguchi mumbled as he shot Tsukki a sidelong glance.

"And I'm sorry for losing my temper," Tsukishima replied quietly.

Both their cheeks dusted a pleasant pink but neither looked to the other. Another silence hung between the two, but this one was much warmer than the last and held an oddly awkward air to it. Though both trainers didn't realize it about the other, both their hearts were beating hard against their chest as Butterfrees grew in their bellies.

"So," Tsukishima spoke up, not enjoying how vulnerable he felt. "When shall we stop for lunch?"

"R-Right, lunch," Yamaguchi coughed as he almost tripped over his own feet. "Maybe once we are ready to set up camp?" He suggested stiffly.

Tsukishima gave a curt nod of agreement as the awkward air faded into the clear blue sky.

Several hours passed and it wasn't until late noon that the two stopped to pitch their tent. Yamaguchi had made a few rice balls each just before leaving that morning and once the campsite was settled he passed three to Tsukki and kept the other two for himself. He knew Tsukki wasn't a big eater but couldn't help but fuss over him now and then.

"Will you do some training today?" Yamaguchi asked, taking a bite from his riceball.

Tsukki gave a nod as he too dug into his lunch.

"I expect you back here before dark," Yamaguchi said with a wagging finger, sounding more like a mom than anything else. "And if it rains again you better come back right away!"

"Yes, Mom," Tsukishima replied full of nothing but sass. Yamaguchi really didn't expect anything else from Tsukki.

"Give me sass again and you won't be getting any Pecha Berry shortcake tonight!" Yamaguchi shot back playfully. He had whipped up a batch of shortcake last night as a treat while on the road. He had heard from some passing trainers that there was a pecha berry grove in the area and planned on finishing the desert tonight. Pecha Berry Shortcake was Tsukki's favorite.

"Hey, that's a low blow, going after a man's weakness like that," Tsukishima complained, his ton still more flat than whiny.

"Than you better behave yourself, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said with a cheeky hum to his voice.

Tsukishima mumbled something under his breath that only caused Yamaguchi's smile to grow. Tsukki tried to send him a scowl but it didn't quite reach his eyes, making it easy for Yamaguchi to call him on his bluff with a small snicker. Yamaguchi should count himself lucky for being so damn cute.

"Fine, I'll be back before dark," Tsukishima sighed a little too dramatically. "But you better stay out of trouble, too. No being reckless when I am away!"

"Me, be reckless?" Yamaguchi gasped with a mix of joking offence and actual shock. He didn't have a reckless bone in his body, which Tsukki should've known.

Tsukishima sent Yamaguchi an unconvinced glare. Yamaguchi was a magnet for trouble more often than not. Yamaguchi sent Tsukki his most innocent smile that didn't help to ease Tsukki's worries.

Once the two finished their meal, Tsukki headed out to train.

"I won't be far from camp, so if anything happens send one of your Pokemon to get me," Tsukishima explained as he gathered some items.

"There is a small Pecha Berry grove just on the other side of those bushes so if you need me I'll be over there," Yamaguchi nodded.

"Any no funny business while I am gone," Tsukishima reiterated, as he eyed the area Yamaguchi had pointed out. It looked safe enough.

"Hey, I'm not the one who trained until I got a fever," Yamaguchi shot back with affectionate sass. This won him a small frown from Tsukki. Yamaguchi just wasn't going to let him live this down anytime soon, was he?

With that, the two went their separate ways.

Yamaguchi called forth Swirlix and Riolu. He then set Eevee down next to Riolu. Riolu sent Eevee a happy wave only for Eevee to snub her. Yamaguchi had hoped that he could get the two baby Pokemon to get along better with a bit of berry picking.

"Hey, Swirlix, do you smell the Pecha Berry grove?" Yamaguchi asked as he ignored Eevee's rude behaviour for the moment.

Closing her eyes, Swirlix gave the air a small sniff before she turned in a direction and led them towards the scent she picked up. Riolu and Eevee tumbled around Yamaguchi's feet as Riolu attempted to play wrestle with Eevee, who did not seem to be into it.

"Come on you two," Yamaguchi coaxed gently. "We don't want Swirlix getting too far ahead."

With that, Riolu released Eevee and followed after Swirlix with a happy bark. Eevee shot Yamaguchi a small look of betrayal for letting Riolu roughhouse with her.

"She's only trying to play with you, Eevee," Yamaguchi spoke gently as he shrugged. "Come on, we don't want to be left behind."

With that, he followed after Swirlix and Riolu. It only took Eevee a moment to also follow her beloved trainer.

It wasn't long before Swirlix led the three to an opening filled with Pecha Berry bushes. All the bushes hung brightly under the early summer sun. The branches were practically covered with fresh, ripe, Pecha Berries. Yamaguchi's smile grew as he heard the amazed gasps of his three pokemon.

"Wow, there is way more here than I expected," Yamaguchi agreed, now feel excited to pick some berries and make his desert.

Riolu barked in agreement as Eevee released a happy trill.

Bending down, Yamaguchi scooted Eevee beside Riolu and handed the two one basket.

"I expect you two to work together to fill this basket as high as you can, or no shortcake for you two tonight," Yamaguchi instructed in the same way you might ask a toddler to do something.

Riolu stood stiff as she barked in confirmation. Eevee, on the other hand, gave a small pout.

"Swirlix and I will be picking from this end of the grove and I will come to check on you two in a bit, okay," Yamaguchi explained. He hoped if he took himself out of the equation, maybe Eevee would cooperate with Riolu more.

The two Pokemon nodded in understanding, Eevee a little less enthusiastic than Riolu.

"Make me proud, you two," Yamaguchi cooed as he gave both their heads a pat.

Riolu barked with joy and Eevee failed to hold back a happy purr.

With that, Yamaguchi headed to the other side of the grove with Swirlix.

Eevee shot Riolu a very sharp look once Yamaguchi's back was turned. She was well aware of what Yamaguchi wanted but she just couldn't stand how Riolu always ran around begging for attention from her trainer. How dare Riolu think she deserved a spot in Yamaguchi's lap?

Riolu sent Eevee a large dopey smile before pointing in the direction Yamaguchi had asked them to pick berries. Though Eevee wanted nothing more than to follow after her beloved Yamaguchi, she also didn't want to let him down. She also really wanted a slice of shortcake tonight.

With Riolu in the lead, the two baby Pokemon headed to a smaller tree. Riolu didn't have any trouble jumping high and plucking the berries from the tree. Eevee, on the other hand, struggled a bit more. She couldn't jump as high as Riolu and wasn't really able to reach the berries.

Picking up in Eevee's struggles, Riolu gave a loud bark before handing the basket off to Eevee. Confused, Eevee took the basket into her mouth and before she knew it, Riolu had scaled a tree. With an excited bark, Riolu plucked a berry and tossed it to Eevee.

Eevee gave a small squeak of panic as she just barely caught the berry in the basket. She then sent Riolu a scowl for not warning her first.

Riolu barked sheepishly before picking another berry. That time, she waited until Eevee was ready before tossing it down. With a joyous bark, Riolu repeated the action.

Eevee wasn't used to laborious activities in the same way Riolu was, so trying to catch the berries was a task that took her time to get used to. Several times she'd miss the berry tossed her way and end up with sticky berry juice in her fur. Eventually, she was able to catch the berries with more precision.

It wasn't long before their basket was filled to the brim with berries. Both Pokemon were so excited to show Yamaguchih the fruit of their hard work. For once, Eevee returned Riolu's high five. Both excited to return to Yamaguchi's side, they headed in the direction Yamaguchi said he'd be picking berries with Swirlix.

The two baby Pokemon only took one step before a large shadow loomed over them. Both startled and confused, they turned around expecting to find Yamaguchi. To bother their horror what they found was not the smiling face of their beloved trainer but a very hungry Ursaring.

Ursaring's sharp eyes were so fixed on the basket of berries, it was almost as if it didn't take any notice of the two baby Pokemon holding said basket. It licked its lips as it approached the duo.

Taking a defensive stance, Riolu stood in front of Eevee and the basket. Nobody was going to ruin their hard work before they showed it off to their trainer.

The Ursaring gave a small huff like laugh at the sight of Riolu before holding a clawed hand up high. It gave a deep growl as it's claw became engulfed in fire. Riolu didn't falter, but Eevee cried out in fear.

Ursaring loud growl filled the grove as it rushed Riolu and Eevee, fire punch revved and ready to knock the two baby Pokemon into tomorrow.

"Eevee! Riolu," Yamaguchi cried as seemingly out of nowhere he scooped the two Pokemon into his arms. He gave a loud pained cry as Ursaring's fire punch landed a direct hit onto his back. With both Pokemon safe in his arms, he tumbled head over heels before smacking into a larger bush.

Riolu and Eevee both flew from his arms as he hit the tree hard. With the wind knocked out of him, Yamaguchi lay limp below the tree. Eevee cried as she rushed to Yamaguchi's side. Riolu barked in anger as she stood guard in front of her trainer.

Very unhappy that his prized basket of Pecha Berries were now a smashed mess, the angry Ursaring approached the three slowly. His angry eyes were fixed on Yamaguchi for getting in his way.

Riolu gave a brave bark as she revved up her fist and rushed the bear pokemon. Ursaring easily swatted Rilo away like a bug, landing her at the top of a rather tall tree.

Eevee gave loud urgent cries as she tried to wake Yamaguchi. Fortunately for her Yamaguchi's eye cracked open.

Yamaguchi gave a pained cough as he came to. He immediately took notice of the angry Ursaring approaching him. Still dizzy, he made to stand up only for a sharp pain to shoot from his ankle. He fell to the ground as he hissed in pain.

Holding his injured leg, he desperately tried to think of something to do. The moment he had seen the Ursaring he had sent Swirlix to get Tsukki. He needed to bide time until Tuskki arrived back. This Ursaring was huge and he wasn't sure if Bionne would be able to hold it off long enough.

Yamaguchi didn't have much time to think about it as Ursaring hand was once again engulfed in flames. It's angry eyes were fixed on Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi had to do something or Eevee was surely going to get hurt.

"Eevee, you have to find somewhere safe to hide," Yamaguchi instructed as he failed once more to stand up.

Eevee gave a tearful cry of worry as she watched her beloved trainer fall in a heap of pain once more. Yamaguchi was her everything. How could he ask her to run and hide while he stayed in the danger. It was in that moment that a fire ignited in Eevee. She wasn't going to let anyone hurt Yamaguchi. With a decisive growl, she turned on the Ursaring.

"Eevee!" Yamaguchi shouted in a mix of wonder and horror. There was no way Eevee would be able to take on the Ursaring alone.

Eevee stepped forward as she seemed to collect herself. Her angry little eyes focused in on the Ursaring daring it to take one more step.

"Eevee, you have to run!" Yamaguchi called but his pleas went unheard by the angry little Eevee.

The Ursaring seemed amused by the angry little furball and with a cocky smile it took one more large step forward.

With a murderous cry that surprised Yamaguchi, Eevee rushed the large bear. The Ursaring growled in response as it swung it's large flaming paw at Eevee and missed. Not missing her chance, Eevee landed a direct takedown hit on the Ursaring's leg, sending it onto its butt.

"Eevee," Yamaguchi gasped in awe. Had Eevee really just used her first attack ever?

Eevee stumbled back from the recoil she felt but her eyes were still aflame. She was not going to let that lug of a Pokemon touch a single hair on Yamaguchi's head.

Ursaring was furious as it stood back up. It's angry eyes were focused on Eevee. It didn't waste any time charging the smaller Pokemon, its claws ready to scratch Eevee into oblivious. Just as it swung its arm a large glowing ball came from the top of the trees, smacking Ursaring in the back of the head. The Ursaring stumbled as Riolu jumped from the tree.

"Riolu!" Yamaguchi called from where he sat. Had she just used Aura Sphere? Was that a move Riolu's could learn?

Yamaguchi didn't have time to think about it too much for the next thing any of them knew, Ursaring was on its bum again as Eevee landed another direct hit onto its bulky legs. Before the Ursuring could so much as get up, Riolu came in with a well-placed Force Palm to the head.

Riolu and Eevee stood in full defence in front of Yamaguchi. They were not going to let Ursaring hurt their trainer again.

Dizzy and overwhelmed, the Ursaring stood up and studied the two. A basket full of berries was not worth this much of a struggle. With his pride tarnished and a large lump on its forehead, the Ursaring turned tail and headed off into the woods.

Yamaguchi sat stunned as he watched the Ursaring leave the grove. Had Eevee and Riolu really protected him from a fully evolved Pokemon? He was so proud he could just cry.

"Eevee, Riolu," Yamguchi whimpered, feeling like a proud mother. With his arms wide open, he waved the two over.

Not needing to be told twice, the two leaped into their trainers arms. Yamguchi held them close as he sobbed into their fur.

"Are you two crazy, that thing could have killed you," Yamguchi cried as he held the two tight. "You two were amazing."

Both Eevee and Riolu cried in joy and relief as they snuggled into Yamaguchi's hold. They'd do anything for Yamaguchi, even take on the biggest Pokemon in the woods.

The small sob session was cut short as Tsukki's voice cut through the grove.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukki called from beyond the trees.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi called back from where he sat, still unable to stand up. "I'm over here."

The sound of rushing feet could be heard before Tsukki emerged from the trees into view. His eyes were full of worry as he caught sight of Yamaguchi once again roughed up.

Yamaguchi sent a small wave and a guilty smile found its way onto his face. "Hi, Tsukki."

"What the hell happened to you!?" Tsukishima gasped as he rushed to his friend's side. From behind him Swirlix and Salazzle followed, both just as worried. "Swirlix came to me in a crazed panic and rushed us over here."

"Tsukki, you should have seen it, Riolu and Eevee just fended off an Ursaring," Yamaguchi gasped as he used large exaggerated arm movements.

"What? An Ursaring? Eevee? Fendoff?" Tsukishima babbled in disbelief. Perhaps Yamguchi had taken an even harder blow than he had expected. With that in mind he hurriedly began to examine Yamguchi from head to toe.

"It's true, Tsukki! Eevee used Take Down while Riolu used an Aura Sphere," Yamaguchi insisted as Eevee and Riolu sat proud by his side.

"Aura Sphere? Riolu can't use that move," Tsukishima grumbled as he took notice at how swollen Yamaguchi's ankle had become. "And Eevee is too low of a level to use Take Down."

"But it's true, Tsukki," Yamagucih insisted as he gave Tsukki's shoulders a dramatic shake. "They protected me from being beaten to a pulp!"

"Yamaguchi, stop shaking me. I'm trying to examine you!" Tsukishima gasped as he ripped himself from Yamaguchi's hold. "We can talk about what happened after I get you back to the camp and patched up."

"S-Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologised. "I'm just so proud of them."

"I know, I know. But you can tell me all about it later," Tsukishima sighed before scooping Yamaguchi into his arms. He didn't need to ask to know Yamaguchi was unable to walk.

Yamagichi gave a small eep but allowed Tsukki to carry him. Still giddy from the battle and full of adrenaline, Yamaguchi didn't shy away from leaning into Tsukishima's hold. He couldn't tell if it was just his imagination but he couldn't help but notice Tsukki heating up a bit and his heart beating a bit harder in his chest. Maybe Tsukki had just been that worried.

Eevee, Riolu, and Salazzle danced around their feet as they headed back to the campsite. Riolu and Eevee squeaked in excitement every now and then and if Yamaguchi had to guess, he'd say that Eevee and Riolu must have been telling Salazzle about what had just happened.

Calming down a bit and his adrenaline subsiding, Yamaguchi relaxed into Tsukki's arms. Tsukki's familiar smell washed over Yamaguchi like a blanket. An exhaustion that always came after such high stakes moment overtook Yamaguchi. Tsukishima's pink cheeks went unnoticed as Yamaguchi nodded off in his arms.

Once back at the camp, Tsukishima placed Yamaguchi down in the tent. He gently pried Yamaguchi's shoe from his foot and removed Yamaguchi's shirt to get a full look at him. He half wondered if he should take Yamaguchi to the nearest Pokemon center.

A Tsukishima examined the new growing bruise on his back, Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel bad. "Sorry for worrying you again," Yamaguchi gently sighed.

"I thought I told you to stay out of trouble," Tsukishima grumbled as he gave the angry bruise a gentle poke.

"Berry picking is normally a safe activity," Yamaguchi came back in his own defence. It's not like he went there looking for a fight or something.

Tsukishima released a small sigh as he deemed the bruis as superficial. "You know, you don't always have to throw yourself between your Pokemon and their opponent," Tsukishiam scolded as he glanced at the now healing bruise Loudred had given Yamaguchi a few days ago.

"I just don't want them getting hurt," Yamaguchi mumbled like a scolded child.

"And they don't want you getting hurt either, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima replied in mild exasperation. "Nine times out of ten, a Pokemon is able to defend itself. Brionne proved that to you and Eevee and Riolu proved that to you as well," he carried on like a lecturing parent.

"I know, I know," Yamaguchi mumbled, wincing a bit as Tsukki began to patch up his ankle.

"I mean it, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima carried on sternly. "Jumping into a fight like this is stupid. You could get yourself seriously hurt or worse." Tsukishima's tone almost sounded hurt as he said the last bit.

Guilt washed over Yamaguchi once more. He was clumsy and not very good at dealing with sudden stress. Often jumping in front of his Pokemon to protect them was all he could do. It was almost on instinct.

"I'll work on not doing that anymore," Yamaguchi sighed. "I really am sorry for worrying you," he quietly added. Seeing Tsukki this upset didn't help his guilt.

"I know you never go looking for trouble, Yamaguchi but just try to think more logically next time something like this happens," Tsukishima spoke in a much calmer voice now as he gently worked on Yamaguchi's ankle.

Yamagucih gave a quiet nod and he focused on Tsukki's gentle fingers. He definitely wouldn't be able to grow as a trainer if he didn't learn how to react better in high steaks moments like today. He was lucky Eevee and Riolu were up to the fight. If they hadn't been he could have found himself in a much worse condition than a sprained ankle.

Once patched up, Yamaguchi insisted that Tsukki help him out of the tent. It was still daylight and he didn't feel like spending it cooped up in the musty old tent. Tsukki had resisted but after Yamaguchi promised to just sit by the fire, he helped Yamaguchi out of the tent.

Placing himself close to where the table to make dinner was at, Yamaguchi began to cut up the berries that had somehow managed to stay whole in his backpack. With the help of Riolu and Eevee, who seemed to be getting along super well, he began to add berries atop the cake he had made.

"I thought I told you to relax," Tsukishima scolded when he caught sight of Yamaguchi working on the shortcake.

"I don't need my ankle to decorate a cake," Yamaguchi shot back, not bothering to look at Tsukki. "Besides, I need to thank you somehow for patching me up and we need to celebrate Eevee's first ever battle."

Tsukishima released a long sigh, not even bothering to argue with Yamaguchi on that one. Settling down not too far from where Yamgucihh sat, Tsukishima kept a keen eye on his friend. Though Yamaguchi insisted he wasn't, he was definitely the most reckless person Tsukki knew.

It wasn't long before the cake was ready and a large slice was handed to Tsukki on a plate. Taking the slice, Tsukishima felt his mouth water as the scent of the desert entered his nose. Yamaguchi's family's shortcake recipe was his favorite in the world.

"We haven't had dinner yet," Tsukishima mumbled, thought his eyes shone like stars as he looked upon the dessert

"Come on, let's celebrate Eevee and Riolu finally getting along," Yamaguchi said with a bright smile. He gave Tsukki's shoulder a playful nudge before handing out slices of cake to all the Pokemon.

"Whatever," Tsukishima replied, trying to sound indifferent but his eyes betrayed him.

With one of his large, shinning, stupid grins, Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist before dinner Pecha Berry Shortcake."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima grumbled.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied with a light-hearted giggle.

Tsukishima only glanced at Yamaguchi, knowing he'd be done for if he looked to long at the cute smile Yamaguchi currently wore as he showed affection too Riolu and Eevee. A warmth filled Tsukishima's body as he took his first bite of the shortcake. Once again, Yamaguchi outdid himself. How had Tsukki ended up with such an amazing best friend, he didn't know.

Author Notes:

Oh my! Looks like Yamaguchi has one less thing to worry about. What does this mean for the future of Eevee and Riolu? Will the two keep getting along well? Is Eevee finally growing out of her baby stage? Will Tsukki still need to worry over his reckless friend? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all, so do expect the next chapter to be up on time next week. Keep and eye out.

As always, thank you all so much for the follows, bookmarks, Kudos, comments, and reviews. I love to hear from you all so please drop a comment if you have a chance.

Well, I am feeling pretty sick and can't think of what else to say.

See you all next chapter.


	50. Shalour City

Wow, we are on chapter 50. As I write this I honestly can't believe we have some this far. I never thought I could write this much but I guess I've proven something to myself. I am so excited for you all to dig into the next part of this fic. The ball is about to get rolling to fasten your seatbelt! The ride might get a bit bumpy in the next few chapters but I have been planning these ones out for over a year now so hopefully it is a fun ride.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, Chapter 50!

Shalour City

Yamaguchi's ankle hadn't been as badly injured as they had originally thought. The day after his run-in with the Ursaring Tsukki had practically carried him, with the help of his Pokemon, to the closest Pokemon center. Once there Tsukki suggested they rest for a few days, insisting he needed to train more before his battle at the Shalour Gym. Yamaguchi knew Tsukki only wanted to give his ankle time to heal and used his need to train more as an excuse. It was touching, but Yamaguchi felt guilty for holding them up so much.

Once he was able to walk again, it was Yamaguchi's turn to insists that they move on. His ankle was still sore so the going was slow but not undoable. Many times Tsukki would make them stop to rest. When doing so Yamaguchi couldn't help but reminisce about how stubborn Tsukki was about stopping for rest when he was sick with his cold. Any time Yamaguchi would bring it up Tsukki would brush it off, saying he hadn't a clue what Yamaguchi was going on about.

It was late afternoon when Yamaguchi and Tsukishima arrived in Shalour City. The city itself was just beautiful. Its many buildings and houses stood upon gently rolling hills that framed a scenic coastline. While it wasn't as large as Lumiose the reflection of the ocean on the large windows of the building gave the city a magical aura. The sound of the ocean waves could be heard as the two walked along the coastal path that led through the city.

A crisp sea breeze brushed passed Yamaguchi's cheeks as he looked out over the ocean. He noticed that just offshore a large structure sat upon a small island. His eyes studied the tower as his pace slowed. He couldn't make out the details of the tower nor did he see any sort of bridge connecting the island to the mainland.

"That's the Tower of Mastery," Tsukishima said, slowing down his pace to match Yamaguchi's.

"Tower of Mystery?" Yamaguchi echoed curiously. He really needed to read up more on Kalos landmarks.

Tsukishima gave a quiet nod as his sharp eyes studied the tower. "It's where I'll battle Gym Leader Korrina."

Yamaguchi's eyes widened in shock. "That's the gym?" he spat out louder than he meant. Such an old historical building could be a gym? Yamaguchi didn't believe it.

Tsukishima gave another quiet nod as he quickened his pace.

"B-But there isn't any bridge! How do we get to is?" Yamaguchi squawked as he hurried up so as to not lose Tsukki. "Hey, Tsukki! Wait up!"

"You're being loud," Tsukishima replied.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologized, not sounding too sorry.

It wasn't long before Tsukishima led Yamaguchi to a rather large Pokemon center. They checked into a room at the hostel before passing off their Pokemon to Nurse Joy.

"Are there any more openings for battling at the gym today?" Tsukishima asked upon the return of his Pokemon.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but look on in curiosity. Normally people applied for official gym battles at the gym, not at the local Pokemon center.

"I'm afraid not," Nurse Joy said with a shake of her head. "The next low tide won't be until tomorrow morning," she explained.

"Low tide?" Yamaguchi questioned.

"What, did Tsukki here not tell you?" Came a familiar voice from behind Yamaguchi.

"Kuroo, welcome back!" Nurse Joy greeted with a bright smile.

"Kuroo!" Yamaguchi cheered as he heard Tsukki whisper a quiet yet angry "Arceus, why him?"

"Good to see you again, freckles," Kuroo greeted affectionately. "Looks like you've still got Tsukki here wrapped around your finger," he added and gave Tsukki a playful nudge.

Yamaguchi cocked his head to the side, not sure what Kuroo meant. Tsukki, on the other hand pulled away from the older trainer as he snapped a gruff "Don't touch me."

"Still ornery as ever," Kuroo laughed mostly to himself.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but send the older trainer a disapproving look for agitating Tsukki. Despite that, he was still quite happy to see Kuroo once more. "Kuroo, what brings you here?" He asked.

"Oh, just passing through I suppose," Kuroo replied with a lazy sigh. "My buddy, Kenma insisted we stop by to visit a friend of his or something like that."

"Oh, so you're here with the friends you ditched us to meet up with?" Tsukishima cooly asked.

"Ditch? Nah, I didn't ditch you two," Kuroo purred as he slung his arms around both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima, of which Tsukishima shrugged off immediately. Kuroo paid little mind to it as he only strengthened the hold he had on Yamaguchi.

"You seemed pretty keen to split with us to meet with your other friends before," Tsukishima grumbled as his eyes lingered on the arm Kuroo had around Yamaguchi.

"Oh, Tsukki, so salty," Kuroo hummed as he sent Tsukki a very calculated smirk. "I just had other responsibilities I needed to attend to."

Yamaguchi wasn't sure why Tsukki was so opposed to Kuroo. Sure, he was a bit odd, but he was one of the friendliest people they had met on their journey. "I'm glad you were able to reunite with your friends with no problem," Yamaguchi cut in, his tone much friendlier than Tsukki's.

"Oh Yama, always so sweet," Kuroo purred as he pressed their cheeks together. "I missed having you around."

Tsukishima released a small grumble and his whole body stiffened. Kuroo glanced his way, smiling slyly. When it came to Yamaguchi, it was ever so easy to bait Tsukishima.

"I-I'm happy to see you too," Yamaguchi stiffly replied, a bit shocked by the sudden physical contact.

Almost as quickly as he'd pulled Yamaguchi close, Kuroo released him. Yamaguchi only stumbled a moment at the sudden change.

"So I take it you two are here for Tsukki's Gym Battle?" Kuroo asked, acting as if he hadn't just nuzzled up close with Yamaguchi.

"That's none of your business," Tsukishim snapped before Yamaguchi could say anything.

Kuroo took that answer as a yes. "Too bad the tide already came in for the day," Kuroo shrugged. "I also wanted to drop by and visit with Korrina, but it looks like we're both too late."

"What does the tide have to do with seeing Korrina?" Yamaguchi asked, half ignoring how agitated Tsukki had become just by Kuroo's mere presence.

"Tisk tisk, Tsukki. Not even stopping to explain anything to poor Yamaguchi," Kuroo teased with his cheshire smile. "I guess I'll have to do it for you."

"It's not like what we do is any of your business," Tsukishima shot back, his tone laced with his signature sass. Unfortunately for him, it had very little effect on Kuroo.

"You see, Yama, the gym is in the Tower of Mastery," Kuroo carried on explaining, stepping closer to Yamaguchi as he did so.

"Oh, that's the building on that Island," Yamaguchi piped in. "Tsukki had said the same thing as we entered the city."

"Yes, and the only way to get to the island is by a land bridge," Kuroo said, connecting his two index fingers together so that they looked like a bridge. "The bridge is only accessible at low tide."

"And it's high tide now," Yamaguchi said with a small frown.

"We'll just have to wait until tomorrow," Kuroo shrugged.

"What do you mean we?" Tsukishima grumbled.

"Well, I also have to see Korrina," Kuroo pointed out with another one of his large smiles. Tsukki was a hard person to bait but Kuroo was a natural at it. "So why not go together?"

"It would be nice to catch up," Yamaguchi agreed, not taking notice at how agitated Tsukki became at the idea.

"My thoughts exactly," Kuroo said, still smiling. "I've been hoping to catch up with you two for some time."

"Yeah, a lot has happened since we split up," Yamaguchi said, his smile falling a bit.

"I'd love to hear all about your adventures," Kuroo insisted, glancing over to see Tsukki glaring at him.

How dare Kuroo use Tsukki's weakness to worm his way in?

"And I want to hear what you've been up to, too," Yamaguchi chirped. Kuroo's travels were bound to be more interesting than theirs.

"As much as I would love to have a chit chat session with you, I have a gym battle I need to prepare for," Tsukishima cut in, his frown so deep it could rival the sea.

Yamaguchi sent Tsukki a concerned look. Why was he so upset. "Tsukki, maybe Kuroo could-"

"I train alone!" Tsukki cut in before Yamaguchi could finish.

Yamaguchi flinched a bit, frowning at Tsukki's sudden change of mood.

Tsukishima's sharp eyes looked from Yamaguchi to Kuroo. "I don't need help so don't bother asking," he snapped before turning on his heels and walking out of the Pokemon center.

"Maybe I went a bit too far," Kuroo mumbled aloud to himself.

Yamaguchi sent Kuroo a curious glance, not quite knowing what Kuroo meant.

"Tsukki's been out of sorts for a bit. We've both been through quite a bit the past few months," Yamaguchi insisted, not wanting Kuroo to feel too put off by Tsukki's cold behaviour.

"Is that so," Kuroo hummed curiously.

Yamaguchi gave a small quiet nod as the past few weeks of their travels settled heavy in his stomach. The two losses at his showcases, almost being kidnapped, Tsukki getting sick, it weighed heavy on him and perhaps Tsukki felt the same.

"Wanna talk about any of it?" Kuroo asked, his tone surprisingly gentle.

Yamaguchi considered for a moment. Kuroo seemed like a reliable guy and had really helped them out before. Perhaps sharing a few of their hardships with Kuroo wouldn't be so bad.

"If you wouldn't mind listening to me complain for a bit," Yamaguchi said with a sheepish smile.

"I'm always down to help out sweethearts like you, Yamaguchi," Kuroo said with a cheeky wink.

Yamaguchi stifled a small giggle, not sure what Kuroo meant. Kuroo's brand of humor was always so strange. With that, the duo headed off into the Pokemon center hostel.

Yamaguchi prepare a batch of Pokemon chow in the hostel kitchen as he talked about the past few months. He did not talk in deep detail and left out the part where he had been kidnapped by Mika and the grunts, and also the part where Tsukki lost to Kageyama. That was Tsukki's story to tell.

Kuroo quietly listened as, humming with interest every now and then. He'd give small remarks here and there, but for the most part he listened. Yamaguchi was quite surprised at how tentative Kuroo was. With the way Kuroo joked all the time he expected the older trainer to crack jokes but he seemed to take Yamaguchi quite seriously.

"I saw your last loss on TV," Kuroo sighed when Yamaguchi got to the end of his tail. "It was a rough one and they even had to disrupt the broadcast while they cleaned up."

"Oh Arceus," Yamaguchi groaned into his hands. His face went red with embarrassment.

"But the fact that you're still here and haven't given up speaks volumes," Kuroo added brightly. "It's really inspirational."

This time Yamaguchi went red from the compliment. "Arceus, that's so cheesy."

"What can I say, I like cheese," Kuroo said with a cheesy smile to match.

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh, Kuroo's infectious smile was erasing his embarrassment.

"It's great though, that you're not giving up," Kuroo carried on, his tone more serious. "I bet most people would have thrown in the towel after something like that."

"It's not like I didn't consider it," Yamaguchi shrugged. "But I couldn't bring myself to disappoint my team like that," he spoke softly as his eyes landed on Eevee who slept beside Kuroo. "I know if I gave up they wouldn't be upset with me but I also know they all have so much more to prove."

"A trainer who puts their Pokemon first will always come out on top in the end," Kuroo nodded wisely. "Shows just how much you've grown since I last saw you."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Yamaguchi sighed as his memories shifted to the time he and Tsukki gave up on their trial in Alola. Popplio had been so compliant with him back then. She had accepted his giving up without a single complaint but he knew she wanted to carry on. He had been selfish. He wasn't going to do that to his team again.

"You should be proud of yourself despite the losses," Kuroo said as he gave Yamaguchi's back a strong pat.

Yamaguchi stumbled at the impact but let loose a small chuckle. "Yeah, I was pretty pathetic before but not anymore," he agreed.

"You, pathetic? Never," Kuroo brushed off with an exaggerated wave of his hand.

Yamaguchi gave a small nervous laugh. If only Kuroo knew who Yamaguchi had been back in Alola.

"Hey, I didn't realize it was so late," Kuroo said, sitting up a bit. "My buddy, Kenma, should be back any time now. Want to catch dinner with us?"

Yamguchi looked to the clock and it read 6pm. Tsukki hadn't arrived back yet. Being summer, the sun set much later and he hadn't realised the time. Tsukki probably wouldn't return until after sunset.

"S-Sure, beats eating alone," Yamaguchi shrugged. He could pick something up for Tsukki as well. Yamaguchi knew from experience that when Tsukki got prickly he often forgot to care for himself.

"Great!" Kuroo chirped. "Kenma has been dying to meet you. Too bad Tsukki isn't back yet."

"Oh, has he?" Yamaguchi reluctantly asked, wondering who this Kenma was.

Kuroo replied with a very insistent nod. "You're going to love Kenma!"

With that Kuroo led Yamaguchi out of the Pokemon center kitchen and down the street. They stop in front of a small restaurant that looked like it couldn't hold more than twenty guests. The place looked fancier than Yamaguchi had expected but had a very homely atmosphere. When Kuroo opened the door to the restaurant a small bell chimed and an older man greeted them.

"How many?" the old mad asked from behind a wooden bar.

"We are meeting some friends," Kuroo said as he scanned the small space. "Ah, there they are!"

The old man gave a soft grunt as he waved Kuroo in the direction Kenma must have been sitting in. With a small nod Kuroo led Yamaguchi further into the restaurant.

When Kuroo stopped Yamaguchi peeked out from behind him and was surprised to see three people sitting at a large wooden table, two of which he already knew.

"Yama?" Hinata chirped loudly upon seeing his freckled friend. "I didn't know you knew Kenma and Kuroo!"

Beside Hinata sat a very surprised but pleased Yachi. "It's so good to see you again," she greeted cheerfully.

"It's good to see you two as well," Yamaguchi replied after shaking off his shock. He took the seat across from Hinata.

Kuroo plopped himself down beside Yamaguchi as he let loose a very relaxing sigh. "So you three already know each other?"

"Yeah, we met Yachi and Hinata here the first day Tsukki and I arrived in Kalos," Yamaguchi nodded.

"I guess it is a small world then, right Kenma," Kuroo whistled nudging his quiet friend with his foot from under the table.

Yamaguchi's attention turned to the final member on the other side of the table. He sat on the other side of Hinata, across from Kuroo. His hair was longer and was darker on top and lighter down near the bottom. He had a very bored expression and stole curious glances at Yamaguchi every now and then.

"You're being loud, Kuroo," Kenma scolded quietly. "It's nice to finally meet you Yamagauchi," Kenma then said as he turned his tired gaze to Yamaguchi.

Kuroo had said Kenma had been wanting to meet him but from the looks of it, Kenma wasn't terribly excited.

"Y-Yeah, it's nice to meet you, too," Yamaguchi replied, doing his best to be polite.

"I hope Kuroo didn't force you to accompany him here," Kenma followed up, sending Kuroo a look.

"N-No, I wanted to come," Yamaguchi insisted. It really did beat eating alone.

Kenma gave a small shrug. He didn't seem 100% convinced.

"I'm happy you came along though, Yamaguchi," Yachi chimed in. "It's so good to see you."

"But where is Stingyshima?" Hinata squaked, causing Kuroo to chuckle at his nickname for Tsukki.

"Tsukki is training for the gym battle right now and probably won't be back until after dark," Yamaguchi explained.

"I knew it," Hinata shouted, standing up as he did so. "His is here for a battle with Korrina. Is he battling her tomorrow, too?"

"Hinata, please sit down," Yachi hissed, her cheeks pink with embarrassment as several people in the small restaurant glanced their way.

"Yeah, Tsukki will battle her tomorrow once the tide is down," Yamaguchi nodded, leaning back a bit from Hinata's outburst.

"I won't lose to him," Hinata followed up, ignoring Yachi's pleas for him to sit down.

"Lose to him?" Yamaguchi questioned. Weren't they going to battle against the gym leader?

"Hinata!" Yachi said more stern this time. She gave his arm a tug and fortunately Hinata sat back down.

"Always lively, this one," Kuroo laughed at Hinata's antics. "I can see why you're so attached to him," he added sending Kenma a wink.

"Shut up, Kuroo," Kenma mumbled. This won him another cheshire grin from Kuroo.

It wasn't long before a waitress came and took their orders. Over dinner, the five chatted about what has happened since they last saw each other. Yachi was happy to hear that Kageyama seemed to be doing well. The topic of their missing party member sent Hinata pouting, but he perked up when he found out that Popplio had evolved. Yachi talked about losing another showcase just a day ago. Kuroo insisted that he hadn't been up to anything interesting in the past months, though Yamaguchi highly doubted that. Kenma all the while sat quietly and listened to others talk, only really speaking when Hinata asked him a question.

The sun was just setting when the group finished dinner and headed back to the Pokemon center hostel. Yamaguchi made sure to order a meal to go for Tsukki before leaving the restaurant.

"Tsukki sure is lucky he has you here to take care of him, Yamaguchi," Kuroo joked as they walked down the street. "Sure would be nice if someone made sure I always had dinner," he carried on, glancing at Kenma.

"You can take care of yourself," Kenma mumbled, only glancing at Kuroo for a moment before turning his gaze to his tablet.

"So you and Tsukki will be heading to the gym tomorrow morning, too?" Hinata asked in excitement.

"That's what it sounded like from Nurse Joy," Yamgucih nodded.

"Looks like we'll all be heading to the Tower of Mastery together tomorrow," Kuroo hummed contently. "Right, Kenma?"

Kenma sent Kuroo a glare but ultimately replied with a "I guess so," upon seeing Hinata's excited expression.

"Tomorrow is going to be great!" Hinata cheered, jumping high into the air.

"I must admit that I am also excited for tomorrow," Yachi giggled, feeding off of Hinata's enthusiasm.

Yamaguchi nodded in agreement. It was refreshing to be amongst friends yet again. He hoped to find Tsukki in better spirits tonight as well. It wasn't long before they arrived at the hostel. They all made plans to meet up for breakfast the next morning before heading to the island.

When Yamaguchi returned to his and Tsukki's room he wasn't surprised to find Tsukki was still out. He placed Tsukki's dinner on a small table before placing a very sleepy Eevee on the bed. He took to reading a book on sewing techniques he had read once before and worked on a small sewing project as he waited for Tsukki to arrive.

It wasn't much longer when Tsukki arrived to their room. It was dark outside and Tsukki seemed to halve cooled off a bit.

Yamaguchi greeted him with a lighthearted "Tsukki, welcome back!"

Tsukki gave a curt nod as he dropped his bag to the floor.

"You're dinner is on the table. I hope you like pasta," Yamaguchi carried on as he got off the bed.

"Thanks for getting me food," Tsukki replied as he sat down. While Tsukki did seem much calmer now, Yamaguchi couldn't help but notice how tried Tsukki looked.

As Tsukki began to eat his meal Yamaguchi took the seat across from him. Tsukki didn't pay him any attention, his eyes fixed on the room temperature pasta in front of him. Tsukki would take a bit, slowly chew it and then swallow. His deadpan expression would not change. Yamaguchi sat silently for a moment, looking on in concern at his best friend.

"Don't you want to heat it up?" Yamaguchi quietly asked.

"Hum?" Tsukishima replied, not looking up from his plate.

"You're pasta. Isn't it cold," Yamaguchi clarified. He made sure not to talk to loudly.

"It's fine," Tsukishima said, glancing up at Yamaguchi for only a moment before returning his gaze to his plate.

Shifting in his chair, Yamaguchi gave a small nod. Tsukki was often aloof but what Yamaguchi was looking at was not the normal aloof Tsukki he knew. Tsukki almost seemed like he was somewhere else. Was he nervous for tomorrow perhaps. Tsukki had yet to show any sort of nerves for any gym battle thus far.

"I saw Yachi today," Yamaguchi said after a good minute of dead silence.

"Hum?" Tsukishima quietly grunted to show he was listening but didn't looking to Yamaguchi.

"Yachi was with Hinata. They are seeing Korrina tomorrow as well," Yamaguchi carried on, doing his best to stay cheerful for Tsukki.

This time all Tsukki did was give a quiet nod, still averting his eyes from Yamaguchi.

Worry began to fester in Yamaguchi's stomach. Tsukki was acting strange. Had he perhaps met someone while training today or was he really this nervous for his next gym battle. He was afraid to ask but he couldn't just allow this to carry on.

"Hey, Tsukki if there's-" Yamaguchi began quietly but was cut off when Tsukki suddenly stood from his seat.

"I'm going to go take a shower," Tsukishima announced, his eyes swill downcast.

"But Tsukki, you haven finished your dinner," Yamaguchi shot back, his tone nothing but worried.

"I'm full," Tsukishima curtly replied, turning from the table to rummage through his bag.

"But Tsukki, if you don't eat properly you won't be at your best tomorrow," Yamagucih argued, doing his best not to sound to confrontative.

"I don't need you to be my Mom, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima snapped back, his shoulder's stiff.

Yamaguchi shrank back a bit and Tsukki regretted the tone he had just used.

"I'm just worried about you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whimpered as he shrunk in his chair.

A thick silence filled the room. Regret hung heavy on Tsukishima's shoulders while Yamaguchi only felt the worry grow.

"You don't need to worry about me," Tsukishima eventually replied, his tone more even. Picking up his shower items he headed for the door. "I'm going to take a while so just go to bed without me."

With that, Tsukki exited the room. Yamaguchi's worried eyes sat fixed on the closed door. What had gotten into Tsukki? Yamaguchi was normally so pumped and excited to see Tsukki challenge a gym but all he felt at the moment was worry.

Author Notes:

Oh my, oh my. What a grump Tsukki is being. What could be setting him off like this? Is it really just nerves? Is he getting cold feet? What is going on, Tsukki!? Don't worry poor Yamaguchi like this! He has already been through enough. What could possibly happen next to our two heros. Find out that and more in the next chapter.

Hey all! I want to thank you all so much for the likes, kudos, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to know you're thoughts and reactions to the chapters so please do drop a review if you have time! Let me know what is on your mind.

This week was rough with a cold but I'm mostly over it now and fully functional again. Hopefully I can push out some more chapters. I'm excited for you all to see what is to come next. The story is about to get rolling. These next few chapters are ones I have been planing out for OVER A YEAR NOW! So I really hope you all enjoy them. I really do! I honestly can't believe we are on chapter 50! I'm amazed but also so excited for you to see more! I hope you are all just as excited to read it!

Well, that is all for now. See you next chapter!


	51. Shalour Gym

Hey all! Finally we are at chapter 51! I still can't believe how long this fic has come. I hope you are ready for an intense gym battle. Will Tsukki and Hinata walk away with their fourth badge? Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Shalour Gym

The next morning Yamaguchi woke to find Tsukki in just as bad of a mood as the last night. When Yamaguchi greeted him with a cheerful good morning Tsukki just replied with a distant grunt. Yamaguchi so badly wanted to confront Tsukki and to ask him if he was nervous but he was also too afraid at upsetting Tsukki even more. The weight in Yamaguchi's stomach only grew heavier as the morning went on.

The two met up with Yachi, Hinata, Kuroo, and Kenma in the Pokemon Center's cafe for breakfast. Tsukki didn't bother greeting a single person, and when Hinata snapped at him for it, Tsukki ignored him altogether. He kept his distance from Kuroo, not even looking Kuroo's way when he greeted him. Worst of all, he even brushed off poor Yachi when she sent him a cheerful smile.

Yamaguchi wasn't foolish enough to call Tsukki out in front of everyone. That would not end pleasantly. Tsukki was just worried about the upcoming gym battle. So many people talked of the gym leader Korrina as one of the hardest to beat.

"Yeah, Korrina has the tendency to not hold back, even for beginner trainers," Kuroo had said over breakfast. "She often gets into trouble for it by the league."

"She does?" Yachi chimed in. "Isn't it the job of the gym leader to test trainers to their fullest?"

"Yeah, that is their job but they are supposed to set the level of the battle to the number of gym badges a trainer has," Kuroo explained. "She often just goes all out regardless of the amount of badges one might already have."

"I may have lost to her once before, but I am ready to sweep her whole team today," Hinata declared, standing from where he sat and almost knocking over his toast.

"Tsukki isn't going to lose today, too!" Yamaguchi added, doing his best to pump himself, and hopefully Tsukki up, for the gym battle. "He's been training nonstop."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima flatly mumbled.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied, sending Tsukki his best shining smile.

The meal ended with everyone except Tsukki outwardly excited for the gym battle. Hinata talked on and on about how he was going to beat Korrina's Lucario. Kuroo would give advice here and there, complimenting Hinata on the parts of his plan that he deemed good. Kenma would also calmly pipe in on his two cents. All the while, Yamaguchi walked beside Tsukki, stealing worried glances. Tsukki looked straight ahead, his eye's stone cold and fixed on the Tower of Mastery.

When the group made it to the location Nurse Joy had instructed them to go they were all, except for Kenma and Kuroo, surprised to see that there was indeed a land bridge. A long bar of stand stretched across the channel connecting the mainland to the island that the Tower of Mastery sat upon. Part of Yamaguchi worried that the tide would return while they walked across to the other side and drown them but Kuroo assured him that the tide was watched carefully and they had nothing to worry about.

The walk across the land bridge took them almost thirty minutes. Unlike earlier, they were all much quieter as they walked. As they approached closer to the Tower of Mastery, a sense of wonder washed over the younger trainers. The structure was large, magnificent, and filled up the whole island. It looked old, far too old to still be standing, almost as if it were being kept up by magic. It reached up high into the sky, far beyond the large wall that surrounded it.

"It's said mega evolution was first discovered here," Kuroo's cool voice broke the wondrous silence.

"Mega evolution?" Hinata perked up. "Wow, that's amazing. I've always wanted to mega evolve a Pokemon!"

"You'd never be able to do that," Tsukishima cut in, his voice snide and a bit meaner than normal. "You need concentration and a brain to mega evolve a Pokemon."

"Hey! I can too mega evolve a Pokemon if I wanted to!" Hinata snapped back. "My Pokemon and I have a great connection."

It was nice that Tsukki wasn't so far gone that he wouldn't pick on Hinata but there was something about the way he spoke that held more venom than normal. It worried Yamaguchi even more.

The walk to the island took much less time than Yamaguchi had expected. The land bridge seemed so long but the scenery was so captivating that time passed quickly. Once they had reached the island, Hinata wasted little time rushing through the brick gate and up the stairs that led to the Tower of Mastery. The other's followed after with Yachi shouting for Hinata to slow down. Yamaguchi and the other's picked up their step to not fall too far behind Hinata.

Once inside the large structure, Yamaguchi couldn't help but let out a gasp. The entry of the Tower of Mastery was just magnificent. The roof reached several stories high. Along the wall was a spiral ramp one could walk up to access various room of the Tower. In the center of the room was a large Lucario statue that reached up to the ceiling. Yamaguchi had never seen a statue this large before. He couldn't help but feel amazed. As Yamaguchi studied the statue he noticed that the pedestal it stood upon had a door. Was it a room?

"Amazing, isn't it?" Kuroo spoke close to Yamaguchi's ear, causing him to jump a bit.

"Ah! Yeah, I was just thinking that the Lucario statue is amazing," Yamaguchi stiffly agreed. He jumped once more when Tsukki scooted his way between himself and Kuroo.

"As much as I love enjoying old buildings, we are here for a reason," Tsukki cut in, eyeing Kuroo.

"Of course, Tsukki," Kuroo teased, his cheeky smile only growing.

"Would you stop pestering people," Kenma scolded in a low grumble from beside Kuroo.

"But it's so much fun," Kuroo whined back.

Kenma merely shot Kuroo a look and Kuroo backed down, though he still had his signature grin on his face.

"Korrina! We are here for our gym battle," Hinata shouted, his voice echoing loudly off the tall walls.

"Hinata!" Yachi gasped in disbelief that he would just announce himself like that.

"You have to be the most annoying person in all of Kalos," Tsukishima grumbled, scowling at Hinata.

"Is that so?" Kuroo purred, scooting a bit closer to Tsukki.

Tsukishima's leering eyes shot to Kuroo. "Make that the second most annoying person," he corrected in a frustrated mumble.

Kuroo's cheshire grin grew triumphantly.

Yamaguchi just couldn't understand why Tsukki was this annoyed with Kuroo. Yeah, Kuroo could pull your leg and teas but he was one of the most mature people they had come across on their journey. What did Tsukki have against him?

"Did I hear someone calling my name," came the voice of a woman.

Yamaguchi's eye's shot from Tsukki and Kuroo to a woman who had just walked out of the door that led to the room under the Lucario statue. The woman was tall and had a long blonde ponytail. She wore a white outfit with pink and black details that Yamaguchi had seen many rollerbladers in the area sporting. She was tall and looked like she could easily whoop Yamaguchi's ass if he made one wrong move. Yamaguchi had almost forgotten that this was a fighting type gym so it only made sense that the gym leader looked tough. Despite this, she had on a very friendly smile. Her blue eyes scanned the bunch as her smile grew.

"Korrina! It's so good to see you again," Kuroo purred as he approached the gym leader.

"Is that you, Kuroo?" Korrina greeted with cheer as she stepped forward in greeting. "And looks like Kenma came along, too. What brings you two here so early in the morning? You already collected my badge."

"We came to watch our two friends here challenge you in their gym battle," Kuroo explained, Kenma nodding in agreement.

"Oh, right, I was scheduled to have two gym battles this morning," Korrina said with an airheaded giggle.

Yamaguchi wondered just who this gym leader was. She did look like a tough woman but her personality was so bubbly. Was she really that tough of a gym leader to beat?

"Oh, you with the orange hair, we've met before, haven't we?" Korrina greeted, her eye's landing on Hinata. "What was your name again…" she hummed more to herself than anyone.

"You forgot my name?" Hinata squawked, upset that he hadn't left a better impression the first time they battled.

"I wish I could forget his name," Tsukishima muttered with a cocky smirk. Yamaguchi stifled a laugh as Hinata shot Tsukki a death glare.

"I guess so," Korrina giggled. "I battle so many people each day, can you blame me."

"Yeah, I guess," Hinata replied as he did his best to ignore Tsukki. "My name is Hinata, by the way," he added, his tone more friendly.

"Well, it's good to see you again, Hinata," Korinna greeted before turning her attention to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. "And which of you will be my other opponent?"

Yamaguchi scooted behind Tsukki, wanting to make it clear that he was in no way going to battle today.

"I will be your other opponent," Tsukisima said, stepping forward. "You can call me Tsukishima."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Tsukishima," Korinna greeted, her eyes studying the tall blond.

"I look forward to our battle," Tsukishima replied stiffly.

Korinna sent Tsukishima a bright smile. "Well then, Tsukishima, Hinata, I'm ready to battle when you two are ready."

Both Hinata and Tsukishima nodded as they simultaneously stepped forward.

"That's right, who should I battle first," Korinna hummed cheekily as she studied the two eager trainers. "I know! The battlefield is on the second floor, whoever gets their first can battle me first."

"A race!" Hinata cheered. "There is no way I am going to lose to this skyscraper."

"With such short legs I'd be surprised if you could even make it up one flight," Tsukishima cooly replied.

"What was that?" Hinata snapped.

"Sorry, could you not hear me from down there?"

"We will go to the top and wait for you," The bickering from Hinata and Tsukki continued as Korinna explained, motioning to Yamaguchi, Yachi, Kuroo and Kenma. "When I give the signal, you two can make your way up to us. Sound good?"

"Whatever! I just want to battle!" Hinata quickly replied.

"I guess," Tsukishima cooly shrugged.

"Great!" Korinna cheered. She then turned to the four spectators. "You four can follow me to the elevator over here," she said, guiding them to an elevator on the far end of the room. It had been designed in such a way that Yamaguchi almost didn't notice it.

Korinna told the four to take the elevator to the third four, which was where the spectator seating could be found. They were to wait in the spectator seats for the challengers to arrive.

Yamaguchi worried about leaving Tsukki's side,as he could tell that Tsukki was still out of sorts and leaving him alone didn't sit right with him but what could he do. Staying would only burden Tsukki more. With a bit of reluctance, he joined Kuroo and the others in the elevator.

"Good luck, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi called before the elevator doors closed.

Tsukishima glanced his way but the doors shut before Yamaguchi would fully see his expression. The ride up the elevator was mostly quiet. Yachi and Yamaguchi were both too nervous for the fate of their travel companions to speak much and Kenma wasn't much of a talker. Kuroo tried to crack a small joke, but no one really reacted to it. Yachi and Yamaguchi both tried their best to laugh, both of which sounded like a deflating balloons, and Kenma didn't bother to look up from his tablet.

Yamaguchi was worried about Tsukki. Normally, Tsukki was super cool and collected about his gym battles but today something was off about him. He was stiff and snappy, stayed out late the night before, and didn't want to talk about the upcoming battle. Yamaguchi knew Tsukki was nervous, but he just didn't know what to do to help his friend. Tsukki was stubborn and one wrong word to him could earn you the silent treatment.

Once in the stadium, they all took front row seats. Their seats were a level above the battlefield making it so they looked down upon the field. Yamaguchi took a seat between Yachi and Kuroo. Yachi was a shaken mess but Kuroo didn't seem bothered about the outcome of today's match. Maybe it was because he wasn't the travel companions of Hinata or Tsukki.

"I sure hope Hinata wins this time," Yachi whimpered, her brow furrowed in worry. "He has been training so hard. It would break my heart to see him lose again."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Yamaughic nodded stiffly. "All everyone ever talks about is how powerful Korinna is, but I believe in Tsukki."

"This is the fourth badge for both of them, meaning that if they win it they're halfway to the league," Kuroo said, his eyes fixed on the field as Korinna took her place on the far side. "This is where the real test begins. The weak trainers tend to be weeded out at this point."

"Weak trainers," Yamaguchi hummed as he studied the entrance to the battlefield. "Tsukki isn't weak."

Kuroo gave a small nod, sitting back in his seat. "I guess we'll have to see."

It was then that someone strolled through the entrance.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi's voice echoed through the room.

Tsukki glanced his way for only a moment before taking his place on the field. "I am your first opponent," He declaired.

Just than Hinata staggered through the door. He was panting and looked almost wet. "Not fair!" Hinata shouted from the entrance. "He used his Frogadier sticky bubble attack thing to get my feet stuck to the ground! Using Pokemon like that is cheating!"

"No one said he couldn't use out Pokemon to make it here first," Tsukishima shrugged, not making any effort to hide his antagonistic smile.

"No way! That was totally cheating," Hinata shot back.

"Not my fault if you can't think outside the box with your primitive brain," Tsukishima shot back.

"What was that!" Hinata shouted.

Yamaguchi's and the others watched in stunned silence as the two trainers went at it. Yamaguchi didn't know whether to laugh at Hinata, who's hair was ticking up more wild than normal, or scold Tsukki for being so mean.

"I won fair and square," Tsukishima said, pointing his nose up condescendingly.

"Oh yeah? Let's ask Korinna!" Hinata spat.

All eyes turned to Korinna who looked as if she was trying to hold back her laughter. She put her hand up, asking for a moment as she composed herself. "Sorry, Hinata, but Tsukisima was right. I never said you couldn't use your Pokemon so that makes him the winner."

Hinata's mouth dropped as Tsukki shot him his best 'told you so' sneer.

"As much as I love a good comedy bit, I don't have all day to battle you two," Korinna cut in causing the two trainers to look her way. "Sorry, Hinata but I'm going to have to ask you to leave the field. You will get your turn to battle me after Tsukishima here."

Hinata deflated, mumbling something about Tsukishima being stingy as he dragged his feet to some benches on the side of the field by the referee. All the while Tsukki sent Hinata an antagonistic grin.

Korinna gave a signal to the referee, who stepped forward.

"This battle is an official gym battle between Tsukishima Kei of Poni Island and Korinna, the Shalour City Gym Leader," the referee began. "This is a three on three battle. The challenger is allowed to switch out his three Pokemon at any point in the battle but the gym leader may not. Whoever is left with a Pokemon able to battle is the winner. The first to have all three Pokemon knocked out and unable to battle will be the loser. You may now start your battle."

Yamaguchi felt his heart skip a beat as he heard Tsukki shout out "Bagon, I choose you!"

"Mienfoo, let's show this kid what we are made of!" Korinna shouted as she called forth her first Pokemon.

Her Mienfoo didn't look too special or intimidating but Yamaguchi couldn't ignore they way Yachi stiffened from beside him.

"Bagon use, Dragon Breath," Tsukishima commanded, his ton level and even.

"Mienfoo use Force Palm," Korinna quickly countered.

Yamaguchi's eyes must have been playing tricks on him for it looked as if Mienfoo had disappeared. The next thing he knew Bagon had been tossed halfway across the field before even executing it's attack.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi shrieked from where he sat.

Kuroo let out a long whistle of amazement as Yachi gave a horrid screech of her own.

Yamaguchi held his breath as the dust cleared around Bagon. The small dragon did not move.

"Bagon is unable to battle," the referee announced. 

Yamaguchi gelt his heart sink. A one hit KO. Tsukki's Pokemon had never been taken out in one hit like that. Yamaguchi's eyes darted to Tsukki who stood rigid. Without a word, Tsukki called back Bagon, his free hand in a tight fist. The worry in Yamaguchi's stomach grew so great he almost felt as if he could vomit.

"Great work, Mienfoo," Korinna cheered. "Is that all you've got to show me, kid?" She than said, looking to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima didn't bother answering. Instead he grabbed his next Pokemon. "Salazzle!" he called, his tone not as controlled as normal.

Salazzle slithered out of her ball. She sent Mienfoo a low hiss as she waited for Tsukki's command.

"Oh, an Alolan Pokemon," Korinna gasped in excitement. "Never been up against one of these before!"

"Salazzle use Poison Gas, and watch out. This Mienfoo is fast" He commanded, ignoring Korinna's excitement.

"Mienfoo, jump high followed by a Drain Punch!" Korinna commanded in excitement.

Mienfoo moved fast once more. Salazzle stopped mid Poison Gas to doge the Drain Punch only for Korinna to call out "Force Palm". The next thing Yamaguchi knew Salazzle went flying.

The stadium was silent as the dust cleaned. Yamagucih felt his heart almost beat out of his chest. Had brave Salazzle also been taken down in one hit? As the dust cleared Yamaguchi was relieved to see Salazzle still standing, barely. He let out an audible sigh of relief but the feeling didn't last long.

"Mienfoo, Swift!" Korinna shouted.

And almost as if Mienfoo knew this would be the next attack, he released a stream of fast moving stars.

"Salazzle, Dodge it and use Dragon Rage," Tsukishima commanded.

Salazzle, did her best to dodge the long range attack, but couldn't move fast enough.

"Finish her off with another Force Palm!" Korinna commanded triumphantly.

Mienfoo was too fast, and the next thing Yamaguchi knew the referee announced once again "Salazzle is unable to battle."

Yamaguchi felt himself go cold. That Meinfoo took out two of Tsukki's Pokemon and had yet to take any sort of damage. He felt he could cry on behalf of Tsukki at the moment.

"Your Salazzle put up a good fight. Most Pokemon don't make it past my swift like that," Korinna commented with a bright smile.

Tsukishima's back went stiff as he gave a small nod. Yamaguchi could tell from where he sat that Tsukki was not doing well.

"Tsukki, you can do it!" Yamaguchi called from the stands, unable to hold it back anymore. "Don't give up! It's not over!"

Tsukishima's looked to the stands. He and Yamaguchi made a brief moment of eye contact and in that moment Tsukihsima's shoulders loosened up. Yamaguchi cracked a smile as Tsukki turned to face Korinna once more. Yamaguchi refused to give up on Tsukki. The battle isn't over yet.

"Frogadier, let's turn this around," Tsukishima cooly said as he summoned his final Pokemon.

Frogadier came forth from its ball. His sharp eyes studied Mienfoo. He didn't look too impressed. Frogadier was Tsukki's fastest Pokemon but would he able to hold out for three battles? Yamaguchi was on the edge of his seat.

"Quick Attack," Tsukishima commanded.

"High Jump Kick!" Korinna countered.

Both Pokemon moved fast, very fast. They grappled in the air, resulting in a tie. Both landed and squared off.

"Frogadier, Smoke Screen!" Tsukishima decided. A large cloud of smoke filled the center field.

"I see you use your brain and not just muscle," Korinna commented with a confident smile. "Mienfoo, blow away the smoke with your Swift!"

Stars jetted around the field as the smoke dissipated.

"You'll have to do better than that," Korinna smiled.

Tsukishima released a small growl. "Water pulse!"

"Swift, once more!" Korinna counterd.

The two attacks hit but Swift won out. Frogadier staggered back as the Swift made a direct hit.

"No!" Yamaguchi whimpered.

"Quick attack, once more!" Tsukishima commanded.

"Force Palm!"

This time Frogadier got the upper hand. Mienfoo staggered back as it took damage.

"Yes!" Yamaguchi cheered. Yachi gave a small squeak of amazement!

"Drain Punch!" Korinna countered without missing a beat.

Mienfoo didn't even seem phased as it regained its footing and it's fist made direct contact with Frogadier's face.

"Smokescreen!" Tsukishima shouted.

Korinna countered with an equally loud yell of "Forcepalm!"

A puff of black smoke filled the center field. Yamaguchi was now standing as he looked desperately to see if Frogadier had made it out unharmed. The smoke hung heavy over the Pokemon.

"Swift!" Korinna commanded.

"Water Pulse!" Tsukishima countered.

Stars flew from the cloud of smoke but no sign of a Water Pulse could be seen. Yamaguchi felt his heart sink. As the smoke cleared Yamaguchi's fears came to reality.

The world around Yamaguchi stood still as the referee's clear voice echoed off the walls. "Frogadier is unable to battle. Korinna is the winner."

Author Note:

Oh my! Oh my! Our Tsukki lost his first gym battle. Will he be able to bounce back from this? All of his Pokemon were taken out in one go. Does the same fate await Hinata? Will this loss affect Tsukki and Yamaguchi's travels? This in more will be answered in the next chapter!

As always, thank you all so much for the kudos, bookmarks, follows, comments and reviews. I love to hear from all you lovely readers so please drop some feedback when you can. It really gives me the push I need to keep on writing!

I really don't have too much to say about this chapter ahaha. It was a hard one to write. Making Tsukki lose wasn't fun and making him so grumpy even to Yamaguchi was also not fun lol. Yeah I decided to pull inspiration for this gym from the anime and not so much the games even though this story lines up with the game timeline and not the anime timeline. I just felt like the setting of the gym in the Tower of Mastery was more scenic and felt more adventurou than having it be another boring gym. Also this is kind of an important point in the story for both our boys so why not give it a grand setting.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! See you next chapter!


	52. Uncle Kuroo

Oh dear! What will become of poor old Tsukki! What will happen now that he has lost his first gym battle. Will he take it with grace! Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Without further ado, chapter 52!

Uncle Kuroo

"Go to Kanto?" A younger Yamaguchi had asked as Tsukki had just come back from talking with his mother on the Pokemon center PC.

They had just arrived on Akala Island the day before. Yamaguchi had only been able to win himself one Z Crystal, Normalium Z, on Melemele Island and felt guilty for making Tsukki wait. He hadn't been able to win the Fightinium Z despite his efforts and he could always come back to Melemele when he was stronger.

"My brother will be battling in the Kanto league and my Mom was thinking it would be fun to surprise him," Tsukishima explained as he took a seat next to Yamaguchi. "You should join us," he added, doing his best to not show his excitement at the idea.

"Wow! Go to Kanto and see Akiteru battle in the league?" Yamaguchi gasped like an overzealous fan. He had yet to really get to know Akiteru but from what Tsukki had told him, his older brother was a strong trainer. "I wanna go! I wanna go!" he cheered as he bounced up and down on his seat.

"Great, I'll tell my mother then. We should fly out to Kanto in about two weeks," Tsukishima nodded, unable to contain a small smile.

The wait to head to Kanto came sooner than Yamaguchi had realized. The two had spent their two weeks on Akala Island fantasizing how far they thought Akiteru would make it at the Indigo League. It warmed Yamaguchi's heart to see Tsukki as excited as he was. Since he was normally a pretty stoic guy, but when it came to his older brother, Tsukki would always shine like a gem. Yamaguchi couldn't wait to see Akiteru in action.

Yamaguchi could not contain his gasps as he and Tsukki entered the Indigo Plateau. Yamaguchi had never left Alola before and everything he saw in Kanto simply amazed him. The long rolling hills were amazing. Huge mountains the size of one Alolan Island could be seen from far distances. And the Indigo Plateau was simply huge. He had read it held more than 20 Pokemon battlefields within it. There is no way something of that size could ever fit on any Alolan Island.

"Oh my gosh, Tsukki! Look at that," Yamaguchi would say as he pointed out some large Pokemon or some amazing structure from within the building.

"That's nice Yamaguchi, but we need to find where Akiteru's first battle is going to be," Tsukishima replied. "In his email, he said he would be in stadium 5-D."

"I can't wait to see the look on Akiteru's face when he sees you in the crowd!" Yamaguchi squeaked in excitement as he bounded alongside his tall best friend.

"Yeah, he kept telling me not to come but I know Akiteru loves an audience," Tsukishima nodded with a rare large smile. "Back in Unova, he'd always send me a smile and peace sign after every opponent he knocked out."

"Wow! That is so cool! I hope he does that today too!" Yamaguchi gushed like a fangirl.

With a small smile, Tsukishima gave a nod of agreement.

It wasn't long before the two kids found Stadium 5-D. Tsukishima's family had splurged and bought front row tickets for the two boys. As the two found their seats, Yamaguchi couldn't help but wiggle in excitement. Not only was this his first time seeing Akiteru in person but this was his first time seeing any sort of official league battle.

It was when the lights dimmed that the stadium quieted down. The battle was due to start any moment and both boys sat on the edge of their seats as they waited for the arrival of Akiteru.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the Indigo Plateau!" a male announcer's voice echoed through the stadium. The stadium cheered in excitement with Yamaguchi whooping along with everyone else. "Let me introduce you to today's opponents. On the right field we have Lillie of Alola," the announcer's voice boomed. An older girl with determined blue eyes and blonde ponytail stepped onto her end of the field.

"Wow, Akiteru's opponent is also from Alola," Yamaguchi gasped as he studied the girl.

"Lillie's opponent today is Yuki of Jhoto," The announcer boomed. The crowd cheered as a boy with dark brown hair took his place on the other side of the stage.

Yamaguchi stood up as he leaned over the railing. "Y-Yuki?" he gasped as he took a good look at the trainer. He looked nothing like the Akiteru he had seen in pictures. Yamaguchi turned to find Tsukki frantically scanning through his tablet.

"This can't be right," Tsukishima grumbled and he scrolled up and down on whatever he was looking at. Yamaguchi could tell Tsukki was becoming more and more upset by the moment.

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi checked, his voice laced with worry at his friend flustered state. He had never seen Tsukki lose his cool like this.

"I can't find it!" Tsukishima choked out.

"Find what?" Yamaguchi dared to ask as roars from the crowd filled the stadium.

"His name!" Tsukishima almost shouted. "Akiteru's name isn't here! He isn't listed for any of the Indigo League battles."

"What, that's got to be a mistake! He told you he would be participating," Yamaguchi insisted as he took the tablet to look himself. As he did so, Tsukki stood to scanned the stadium.

Yamaguchi could see panic and betrayal grown in Tsukki's eye as he scanned the crowd. As Yamaguchi scanned the list for upcoming battles for the Indigo League, not a single Akiteru showed up. When Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki again he saw Tsukki's eyes fixed on one point.

Standing up Yamaguchi followed Tsukki's gaze across the stage to Lillie's side of the battle. Holding a banner that said 'Fight Lillie! Fight!' stood the Akiteru Yamaguchi had seen in photos. Akiteru's eyes were fixed on Tsukki. The older trainer looked as if his soul had been sucked out of him. Very slowly Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki. At that very moment he was sure he saw Tsukki's heart break.

"He lied to me," Tsukishima said in a low grumble. "How pathetic."

It had turned out Akiteru hadn't been able to collect enough badges to make it to the Indigo Plateau. Yamaguchi never found out why Akiteru had lied about making it to the league but that was the day their journey around Alola had come to a screeching halt.

-Present Time Kalos-

Everything around Yamaguchi faded as the Referee's voice echoed off the walls. It wasn't a dream. Tsukki really had lost. He hadn't even been able to make a dent in Korrina's team. Yamaguchi could feel tears welling up in his eyes as Tsukki silently called back Frogadier. He held Eevee tight who gave a small squeak of worry.

"Hey, that was a pretty good battle-" Korinna commented but was cut off when Tsukishima turned on his heel and headed off the field. "Hey, wait!"

But Tsukki didn't wait. Without a single word, without looking to anyone in the room, Tsukishima exited the stadium.

"Oh, jeeze," Korinna sighed to herself.

"T-Tsukki!" Yamaguchi choked out as the door shut behind his best friend. With Eevee still held tight in his arms he stood stunned, stuck on the spot. He wanted to chase after Tsukki but his body was still in too much shock to move.

Yamaguchi scanned the field to see Korinna praising her Mienfoo. He then looked to see Hinata looking sick to his stomach. It was almost as if Hinata was aware his execution was next.

"That was quite a sweep," Kuroo whistled from beside Yamaguchi. "I hope it didn't tarnish Tsukki's dignity too much."

"He lasted longer than Hinata had the first time he faced Korinna," Yachi piped in, doing her best to find the positive in a negative situation.

"I… I better go after Tsukki," Yamaguchi somehow got out. As much as he would love to see Korinna sweep Hinata next his loyalties lie with Tsukki. Without another word, Yamaguchi exited the spectator stand.

By the time he made it to ground level Tsukki was nowhere to be seen. Yamaguchi rushed out of the tower and through the wall's gate. The land bridge was empty, without a single person crossing it. At that point a bit of panic welled up in Yamaguchi's chest. Tsukki had only just left. He couldn't have gotten that far.

Doing his best to not all out lose it, Yamaguchi ran as fast as he could across the land bridge. His mind on Tsukki he paid little mind to how bumpy the ride but have been for Eevee. Tsukki was most likely on his way to the Pokemon Center to drop off his team. He needed to see Tsukki, needed to make sure Tsukki was okay.

It had been years since Yamaguchi had witnessed Tsukki losing like this. Tsukki had always been so invincible in his eyes, but Yamaguchi knew Tsukki took losing harder than anyone he'd ever met. Flashbacks of their time traveling Alola shot through his mind's eye as he rushed across the bridge. It had all started out so well but in the end, it had been for naught. Both he and Tsukki had lost the drive to carry on with the journey after the incident on Kanto with Akiteru. Giving up on their journey in Kalos was something Yamaguchi greatly feared.

Once back at the Pokemon Center, Yamaguchi made a beeline for their room. He swung the door open and wasn't too surprised to see it empty. His stomach sunk like a stone. He had no clue where Tsukki could be. His next move was to visit Nurse Joy to see if Tsukki had dropped off his team and found that Tsukki had indeed dropped his team off for healing but had quickly left.

Uneasiness settled in Yamaguchi. He badly wanted to see Tsukki. He needed to be there for him, but had no clue where to find him. He hadn't been able to explore the city yet but he had to at least try to find Tsukki.

Yamaguchi desperately rushed through the streets of Shalour City. He paid very little attention to where he was going. The streets wounded this way and that along the coast. No matter where he ran, Yamaguchi could always see the Tower of Mastery from over the buildings. He and Eevee did their best to find any place Tsukki could have been but came up empty. He eventually found himself at the City's edge.

A warm breeze brushed through Yamaguchi hair as he stared into the forest. It looked forbidding and dark. Could Tsukki be in there? Yamaguchi wondered if he should go in and check but found himself hesitating. Flashbacks of being kidnapped by Mika and her grunts froze Yamaguchi on the spot. Him going alone into the forest would only cause more problems for Tsukki, he knew it. Feeling utterly defeated, Yamaguchi turned tail and headed back to the Pokemon Center.

When he arrived back at the Pokemon center he was greeted by Yachi and Kuroo. Yachi looked less than happy as she spoke quietly with Kuroo. Kenma and Hinata were nowhere to be seen. Yachi perked a bit as she and Yamaguchi made eye contact.

"Yamaguchi!" Yachi called, causing Kuroo to turn and send him a smile.

Yamaguchi did his best to smile back but knew it didn't reach his eyes.

"Why so winded?" Kuroo greeted as Yamaguchi joined the two. He took notice of how tired and distressed Yamaguchi looked.

"I was looking for Tsukki," Yamaguchi mumbled, doing his best to not get over emotional.

"Has he not returned back?" Yachi gasped in worry.

Yamaguchi gave a small shake of his head as he released a defeated sigh.

"He seems like the type who needs to be alone after a loss like that," Kuroo hummed, shrugging a bit.

"I know, but I'm still worried," Yamaguchi admitted. "How did Hinata's battle go?"

"Not much better than Tsukishima's," Yachi deflated. "He's locked himself up in our room and won't come out. I think he might be crying."

It broke Yamaguchi's heart to hear that. Not only had Tsukki lost, but Hinata too. He just didn't know what to do.

"Well, there isn't much we can do at the moment," Kuroo shrugged. "I'm sure they will come around."

Yamaguchi gave an unsure nod. His heart sank and he hoped Tsukki would be okay. He hadn't seen Tsukki lose like this ever.

"I'm going to my room," Yamaguchi eventually said. "Come and get me when it's dinner time." With that Yamaguchi headed to his and Tsukki's room. He wasn't surprised to find it empty.

With a defeated sigh he placed Eevee on his bed and collapsed onto it himself. Immediately Eevee curled beside her trainer in an attempt to comfort him. Absentmindedly, Yamaguchi stroked Eevee's soft fur happy to not be completely alone. His body ached with worry for his best friend. What if Tsukki never came back? What if Tsukki decided to head back to Alola? Yamaguchi didn't want to carry on in Kalos without Tsukki. The mere idea of it broke his heart. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't. He needed to stay strong for when Tsukki arrived back.

It was well after lunch when the door to their room slammed open. Almost consumed by a dark aura, Tsukki strode in through the door. His cold amber eyes didn't even look Yamguchi's way as Yamgucih sat up with a cheerful "Tsukki, welcome back."

Tsukishima didn't reply. Instead, he sat down on his bed and pulled out his tablet.

"T-Tsukki, did you get lunch?" Yamaguchi tentatively asked, not wanting to upset Tsukki in any way.

"Not now, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima snapped as he pulled his headphones over his ears. As he did so, he didn't even spare Yamaguchi a single glance. Yamaguchi's heart broke as he felt completely shut out.

It had been years since Tsukki had tried to shut Yamaguchi out like this. In fact, the last time Tsukki was this shut off was when Akiteru lied about making it to the Indigo League. Back then, Tsukki had completely given up and Yamaguchi had just watched. Fear raced through Yamaguchi's body. Had Tsukki given up on Kalos? No, Yamaguchi didn't want it to end. He had to say something. He had to do something, but what? He didn't know.

Yamaguchi shook on the spot as he studied Tsukki. He willed himself to speak but his voice wouldn't work. He knew that if he didn't do something their journey would be over. The fear he felt of losing what they currently had consumed him and left him speechless.

Unable to talk Yamaguchi collapsed once again in his bed. He did his best not to cry as he stole glances at Tsukki. Not once did Tsukki look his way. His cold amber eyes scanned his tablet as he shut out the world around him.

The sun was beginning to set when a knock came from their door. Yamaguchi jumped at the sudden sound, almost falling to the floor. He looked to see Tsukki not so much as flinch as whoever it was knocked again. Scrambling to his feet, Yamaguchi ran to the door.

He was pleasantly surprised to see Kuroo's large smile as he opened the door.

"Ready for dinner?" Kuroo asked as he stepped into the room, not waiting to be invited in.

"Oh, yeah I guess so," Yamaguchi replied as he allowed Kuroo to do so. For some reason, he felt a wave of relief wash over him to see Kuroo. Perhaps he could do something about Tsukki.

"Great, Hinata and the other's are waiting at the entrance," Kuroo hummed as he studied Tsukki. "Oi, you're coming too, Tsukki."

"Fuck you, I'm not hungry," Tsukki snapped from over his tablet.

Yamaguchi gasped at Tsukki's volatile reply but was surprised to find Kuroo stifle a laugh.

"I see you're not too good at losing, are you," Kuroo taunted good-naturedly.

Yamaguchi felt a bit uncomfortable, he wanted to yell at Kuroo for antagonizing Tsukki but at the same time wanted to see where this went.

"Get up, ya big baby. You still have to eat properly," Kuroo said as he grabbed Tsukki by the arm and hoisted him up.

"Hey! Hands off!" Tsukishima snapped as he failed to pull away from the older trainer.

"Nope, you're coming with us!" Kuroo replied, not relenting.

"You really should eat, Tsukki," Yamgucih piped in, looking to his best friend in worry. He had a feeling Tsukki had skipped lunch.

For the first time since losing, Tsukki and Yamaguchi made eye contact. The fire in Tsukki's eyes blazed for only a moment before he gave in.

"Fine," Tsukishima said as he ripped his arm from Kuroo. "But no touching me!"

"Whatever, man," Kuroo nodded as he backed off.

Following Kuroo out of their room, Yamaguchi took his place next to Tsukki. Tsukki was still stiff and not once did he look Yamaguchi's way. Yamaguchi so badly wanted to say something but anything that came to mind got caught on the way to his mouth.

In the lobby the three were greeted by a very distraught Hinata. He looked as if he had indeed been crying. Beside Hinata stood Yachi who looked just as concerned as Yamaguchi. Kenma stood behind the two, giving a small wave when he saw Kuroo.

"I have the perfect place for us all to eat at tonight," Kuroo announced with a big smile. How he was able to stay so cheerful despite the sour mood was something Yamaguchi admired.

The group followed Kuroo down the streets and only stopped when they reached a small ramen shop.

"A nice hearty meal of ramen is bound to lift the soul," Kuroo explained before opening the door to the small restaurant.

The bell chimed as the trainers entered the shop. It as empty and had just enough seats for them all to sit. Yamaguchi took a seat at the bar between Yachi and Tsukki. On the other side of Tsukki sat Kuroo. Beside Yachi sat Hinata and then Kenma. The kind owner greeted them all before taking their orders.

As the food was served everyone ate in relative silence. Tsukishima didn't even finish all his bowl before standing up from the bar.

"I'm heading back to the Pokemon Center," Tsukshima announced.

"Tsukki, you haven't even finished," Yamaguchi said as he looked to his friend in worry.

Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi, hesitating for a moment as the concern in Yamaguchi's eyes.

"Sit back down, Tsukki," Kuroo demanded cooly. "I'm not done with you yet."

"I don't have to listen to you," Tsukisima replied, his eyes becoming colder as he looked from Yamaguchi to Kuroo.

"Just sit down," Kuroo sighed. "I have something I wanted to talk with you and Hinata about."

At this everyone perked up. What was it that Kuroo had to say? Hinata poked his head out from the other side of Yachi.

With a gruff sigh, Tsukishima plopped back down in his chair. "Well, make it quick."

"Don't worry, your grumpiness, I won't keep you too long," Kuroo smoothly replied.

Tsukishiam scowled as he scooted away from Kuroo a bit.

"Today I couldn't help but noticing you two struggling in your battle against Korrina," Kuroo started. Tsukishima scowled ever deeper as Hinata deflated a bit. "She is a tough opponent but luckily for you two you have good old Uncle Kuroo here to help you out."

"What the hell can you do to help us out?" Tsukishima sassed.

"Well, it just so happens that a few buddies of mine and I partake in a sort of training camp around this time of year," Kuroo explained with one of his signature smiles.

Yamaguchi perked a bit. A battle training camp? That sounded interesting. He wondered who else would be there.

"And you two are welcome to join in if you want. I think it could really help you both polish your batting skills," Kuroo carried on looking from Hinata to Tsukki.

Hinata perked up even more as his eyes filled with excitement. Tsukki, on the other hand, didn't seem interested at all.

"And as for the Showcase Contestants at this table, my buddy Yaku and his friend also put on a similar sort of camp for Showcase Training. It's not at the same place as the battle training camp, but I've heard it is a very helpful camp to participate in for Showcase Contestants," Kuroo said looking from Yachi to Yamaguchi. "I could put in a good word for you two if you'd like to join in on that."

Yachi released a surprised eep at the news while Yamaguchi found himself at a loss of words. Training camps for him and Tsukki. They were both struggling at the moment. Could that be the answer to help them get to the next level?

"You don't have to give me an answer now," Kuroo sighed. "Think about it and I'll ask again tomorrow."

Silence hung in the air. Hinata looked excited and as if he was about to say yes at the moment. Much like Yamaguchi, Yachi looked confused and unsure. Tsukki, on the other hand, looked even more upset.

Yamaguchi almost fell from his chair when Tsukki suddenly stood up. "I don't need help from you or your stupid friends," Tsukishima grumbled. His voice was cold and distant. He looked at no one as he spoke.

"Oh come on, Tsukki, no need to be so dramatic," Kuroo teased. "This could really help you."

"It's pointless. This whole thing is pointless," Tsukishima quickly shot back before turning on his heel and storming out of the restaurant.

Panic rushed through Yamaguchi's veins as he released a weak "Tsukki!" He knew Tsukki was on the brink of no return. But what could he do?

"Yikes, maybe I said too much," Kuroo said as he watched Tsukki rush out the door. "Is he always like that?"

Yamaguchi gave his head a small shake. Yes, Tsukki was stubborn and hard to deal with. It was hard to talk to Tsukki when Tsukki didn't want to talk. He always shut himself out.

"I-I don't know what to do for him," Yamaguchi quietly admitted.

"What can you do for him?" Kuroo shrugged.

"Yeah, it's his decision to give up or not," Hinata added.

Yamaguchi stiffened at the words 'give up'. No, Yamaguchi wasn't ready to give up. Not on Tsukki and not on their journey. With much purpose and a sudden rush of adrenaline Yamaguchi stood from his seat. He passed Eevee off to Yachi. "I'll be right back," he announced before rushing out the door after Tsukki.

Everyone sat in silence as they heard Yamaguchi scream "Tsuuuuukkiiiiii!" from outside.

Author Note:

Oh my! Will Yamaugchi be able to catch up with Tsukki! If he does, what will he say to Tsukki? Will he be able to calm the angry beast that is a stubborn Tsukki? Could these training camps really be thing the two need to go to the next level? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

As always, thank you all so much for your kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my dear readers so please leave a comment or review if you have time. Fule me with your words!

I really enjoy writing Kuroo. He is one of my favorite characters in the manga and anime. I hope I didn't make Tsukki too mean. I just love salty Tsukki so I can't help myself. It also felt bad to make Hinata lose as well. Poor guy lost twice. Sorry dude but Uncle Kuroo is here to help you so no worries. This chapter was difficult. Tsukki being mean even to Yama was just so hard to write. Hopefully Tsukki can work past this bad mood and be kind to his Yama again.

Well, that is all for now! See you next chapter.


	53. Breaking Tsukki's Mood

Hey all! I hope you are ready to see what it is Yamaguchi has to say to Tsukki. Will it knock Tsukki out of his mood or only make Tsukki more upset? Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 53!

Breaking Tsukki's Mood

"Tsuuuuukkiiiiiiii!" Yamaguchi's screaming echoed off the buildings as he ran down the street. Several passersby looked his way, but Yamaguchi was too blinded by his mission to notice them.

Yelling Tsukki's name, Yamaguchi ran as fast as his long legs could carry him. As he turned a corner Tsukki came into view. With a rush of adrenaline, he picked up his speed.

"TSUUUUUKKIIIIIII!" Yamaguchi shouted as he rushed to his friends.

Tsukishima stopped in his tracks as he turned to see who was calling his name. He glared at first, only for his eyes to turn to shock and surprise.

"Tsukki! Wait!" Yamaguchi gasped as he almost ran into his best friend. "I-I w-want to t-talk to you!" he gasped as he tried to catch his breath.

Tsukishima stood silent as he studied Yamaguchi.

With his hand on his knees Yamaguchi gasped for air. He held one finger up signifying he needed a moment. Fortunately for him, Tsukki obliged. With his arms crossed over his chest, Tsukki waited to hear what Yamaguchi had to say.

Once he felt he could speak again, Yamaguchi stood up straight.

"T-Tsukki what are you doing?" Yamaguchi asked, unsure how to start.

"If this is about what Kuroo said the answer is no!" Tsukishima snapped.

"B-But it could help you, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi argued. These camps could help both of them.

"I said I don't need help!" Tsukishiam shot back stubbornly.

"It's okay to receive help, Tsukki. There isn't any shame in it," Yamaguchi carried on, knowing all too well how prideful Tsukki could be at times.

"Listen Yamaguchi, this is none of your business," Tsukishima began only for Yamaguchi to cut him off.

"But it is my business Tsukki!" Yamaguchi cut in desperate to reach his friend. "I don't want to see you give up."

"And why does it matter to you whether I stay in the league or not?" Tsukishima snapped, sounding crueler than he meant.

"You're my best friend, Tsukki," Yamaguchi argues, doing his best to control his voice with the intense emotions he felt. "We've come so far together on this journey! I don't want it to end here."

Tsukishiam's expression became odd as he heard this. He looked angry but also regretful, almost as if he was about to explode.

"What's the point of this struggle, Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima grumbled as his shoulder shook in what was most likely frustration.

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi questioned, not sure what he meant.

"What's the point of all this battling if I'm just going to lose to someone stronger than me in the end? What's the Point!?" Tsukishima snapped, his tone louder than he had ever used on Yamaguchi. "You don't actually think I have a chance at winning this league thing, do you!? It's just pathetic too keep on going after being knocked down so many times! What's the point in trying!? "

Yamaguchi looked on at Tsukki in shock. For the first time in a long while, anger flared in his chest. How dare Tsukki talk to him like this? How dare Tsukki call all their efforts up to this point pathetic! Tsukki, who always had it easy. Tsukki, who rarely had to struggle! How dare he tell Yamaguchi, someone whose every damn day was nothing but a struggle, call these efforts pathetic? His loss at the showcases flashed through his mind. He could have given up than and there but he didn't and does Tsukki think that is pathetic.

With a sudden rush of anger and frustration, Yamaguchi grabbed Tsukki by the collar of his shirt. He shook Tsukkiwith strength he had no clue he had. Tsukki gritted his teeth as he glared at Yamaguchi.

"I'll tell you why we need to keep on going," Yamaguchi growled, his eyes full of fire. "We do it for our Pride. We do it for the pride of our Pokemon! So what if we don't make it to the top in the end? There is nothing more pathetic than giving up!" as he yelled this he gave Tsukki another shake. Once he was finished he huffed in anger.

Yamaguchi expected a punch in the face. He expected Tsukki to push him away, never to talk to him again. What he didn't expect was for Tsukki to crack a smile.

"Wow," Tsukishima chuckled his expression cooling down as he looked at Yamaguchi with admiration. "When did you become so cool?"

"Eh!?" Yamaguchi gasped in confusion as he released Tsukki. What was Tsukki talking about? Him? Cool?

Tsukishima laughed once more as whatever was eating at him seemed to dissipate. It was odd to see Tsukki like this. Rarely did Tsukki every openly laugh like this.

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi questioned, unsure if maybe he had somehow broken Tsukki from all the shaking.

"Thanks, Yamaguchi. I guess I needed that," Tsukishima said as he collected himself. With a smile upon his lips and the fiery anger in his eyes now gone, he looked to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt his heart skip a beat. Never had Tsukki looked more handsome than he did now.

"I really am lucky to have you as my best friend," Tsukishima sighed, his affection for Yamaguchi at full volume.

"Tsukki I- What- I'm not- I," Yamaguchi blubbered not knowing what to say as he struggled to keep his heart from beating out of his chest.

With a small sigh, Tsukki walked past Yamaguchi. "I guess I need to have a talk with Kuroo about that camp," he admitted.

"Yeah, you probably should," Yamaguchi agreed as he came back to reality.

"I'll see you back at the Pokemon Center," and with that Tsukki headed back up to the restaurant.

"Yeah, okay," Yamaguchi replied, his voice a bit distant as he watched Tsukki head back the other way.

It was only when Tsukki disappeared behind a corner that Yamaguchi fully came back to reality. He couldn't help but smile. He had somehow convinced Tsukki not to give up. He only hoped this camp Kuroo spoke of could give Tsukki the experience he needed to really keep going. Lost in his own thoughts, Yamaguchi strolled back to the Pokemon center alone.

It was only when he plopped down in bed that he realized he didn't have Eevee. He panicked for a moment before remembering he had left her with Yachi. Tsukki would bring her back.

Yamaguchi relaxed in bed as he allowed himself to think. It had been such an emotional day. Tsukki had lost and they had argued but somehow it turned out okay. Honestly, he was exhausted, but the camp Kuroo spoke of kept him from falling asleep.

There were two camps. One for those going to the league and one for showcases but they weren't in the same location. If Yamaguchi went to the Showcase camp, he'd have to part ways with Tsukki. The idea made his heart sink. But, just like Tsukki needed experience so did he. He didn't know much about the showcase camp yet but he trusted Kuroo wouldn't have told him if he didn't think I'd help. Yamaguchi would be a hypocrite if he didn't take the offer.

Yamaguchi almost fell out of bed when Tsukki entered the room.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Tsukishima gently asked. He had Eevee in his arm who sent Yamaguchi an angry pout for having been forgotten. In one of Tsukki's hands, he held a take out bag.

"Sorry, Eevee," Yamaguchi apologised as, for the first time ever, Eevee gave him the cold shoulder. Yamguchi couldn't help but laugh at how cute she was.

"For someone who scolds others for not finishing their meals you sure don't seem to follow you own rules," Tsukishima said as he held out the takeout bag.

"What?" Yamaguchi asked, not sure what Tsukki meant.

"You weren't even half-finished with your ramen yet you gave me grief about not finishing mine," Tsukishima explained as he shoved the bag into Yamaguchi's arms. "After a day like today you need to make sure you eat enough."

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi stupidly replied as he took the bag. His cheeks were bright pink at the show of affection from Tsukki.

"You don't have to eat it, but I don't want to hear you complain about being hungry," Tsukishima grumbled as he dumped Eevee onto his bed.

"Okay, Mom," Yamaguchi sassed as he failed contained a giggle.

After placing the bag in the small provided fridge Yamaguchi sat down on his bed.

"So, you talked with Kuroo?" Yamaguchi asked. In the past, a question like this would cause him to become nervous but something had changed between him and Tsukki.

"Yeah," Tsukishima sighed. He looked both annoyed and amused as he did so. It was an expression Yamaguchi liked to see.

"And…" Yamaguchi gently asked.

"And I guess I'll be going to that stupid Battle Camp," Tsukishiam sighed sounding defeated.

"Good," Yamaguchi smiled.

"How about you?" Tsukishima asked. "Did you decide?"

A moment of silence hung in the air as Yamaguchi considered the question.

"Yeah, I'll be going to the Showcase Training camp as well," Yamaguchi nodded, the thought of being away from Tsukki weighed heavy on him.

Tsukishima gave a thoughtful 'hum' as another bout of silence filled the room.

"Well, it's only for a week," Tsukishima sighed as he laid down in bed. Eevee curled up next to him as he did so.

"A week?" Yamaguchi repeated thoughtfully. A week wasn't that long.

"A weeklong training camp," Tsukishima confirmed.

"That won't be too bad, I guess," Yamaguchi unintentionally said aloud.

Tsukishima hummed in agreement.

It had been years since he and Tsukki had spent more than just a couple of days apart. It would be weird for sure but Yamaguchi knew both he and Tsukki would be able to handle it. He could look forward to carrying on with their journey afterwards.

The rest of the night was quiet for the two. Eventually Eevee got over her disappointment with Yamaguchi and demanded to be in bed with him. Yamaguchi stroked her fur as he read up on common Pokemon trivia questions. Tsukki all the while read from his tablet. The atmosphere was calm, and something Yamaguchi hadn't felt for several weeks. The tense, unsure air that had been plaguing the two was not gone and all that was left was comfort.

Before long the two trainers turned in for the night. Yamaguchi was exhausted after the emotional roller-coaster of a day. He was so afraid that their journey together in Kalos was about to come to an end. If he wasn't so dead tired he could have cried of joy.

Yamaguchi found himself in a cage when he came to. He felt a jolt of both panic and disappointment wash thought him, like he wasn't surprised to be in said cage. He made to move but had no control over his limbs. He wondered how he ended up here in the first place. When he made to call out he found that he had no control of his voice.

He scanned the room, which looked to be some sort of laboratory. The only light in the room came from a few large computer monitors that glowed the blue light of a stand by screen. Yamaguchi could see several large mechanical equipment tucked away at the far side of the room. He couldn't identify as single piece of equipment but looking at them made him uneasy. At the center of the room was a large ring-like machine that set his anxiety aflame every time he looked at it.

Where was he? How did he get here? Why wasn't he in his bed? Why couldn't he move? What was going on!?

Just then, the creak of a door sounded from behind him. As if against his will, Yamaguchi turned to see who it was. From the shadows came a man and a woman. Immediately, Yamaguchi recognised the woman. It was Admin Mika but the man he had never seen before. A primal panic went off in Yamaguchi as he backed up against the bars of the cage in an attempt to get away from them.

As the two came into view Yamaguchi got a better look at the strange man. Much like the others Yamaguchi had seen Mika with, this man had a mask, his was that of a Seviper. He wore a black suit with a green tie. His yellow button-up shirt poked out from under the suit jacket. His dark brown hair was brushed nearly to the left giving him a very well manicured look. Dark eyes studied Yamaguchi from behind the mask holes. His tongue poked from between his lips as he smiled, giving the impression of a snake that was about to eat its prey.

"I'm sorry to report this, Boss, but up until now all tests have failed," Admin Mika said as if she were carrying on from earlier conversation.

"Good to see you awake, my pretty," The man hissed as he studied his caged prey.

Yamaguchi felt horribly confused. Who was this man? Why did he smile at him like that? All he knew was that he needed to get away.

"You and the scientists have been doing phenomenal work," the Boss hissed as he enjoyed the panic he saw in his caged pray. "I think all we need is more power, Admin Mika."

"R-right," Admin Mika reluctantly agreed. "With that meteor out of reach, we're unsure what to do about the power issue."

"It was a shame that plan fell through," the Boss sighed as he brushed his hands against the bars of the cage. "Too bad that brat who got in the way was able to get off free."

Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a sickening drop. He felt like he was very much in danger. He didn't like the way this man spoke nor the way he kept looking at him with such hungry eyes.

"I am very sorry about failing that mission, Boss," Admin Mika said with a low head bow.

"My dear Mika," the Boss hissed as he gently lifted Mika's chin. As he did so Mika blushed fiercely. "That is in the past. We need not dwell on it. Instead we should look to the future."

"Of course, Boss," Admin Mika whispered, her cheeks quite pink.

"Now, all we need to do is look for other opportunities. More are bound to show up," The Boss carried on in his cool snake-like manner.

"Yes, Sir," Admin Mika said with a dutiful nod. "I swear I will not let you down again."

"I believe in you Mika," The Boss nodded as he turned back to Yamaguchi. "I can taste it. We are only inches away from our goal, Mika. Soon we will get what we've been striving for," as he spoke his eyes glowed with a crazy thirst for power. His slender hand grasped the bars of the cage Yamaguchi was trapped in.

Through the bars, the man's hungry eyes glowed as they looked on at Yamaguchi. Panic overtook Yamaguchi. He needed to get out. He needed to get away. He needed help.

"Help me!" Yamaguchi cried, but once again it wasn't his voice he heard but the chime of a Pokemon he had heard from another dream not too long ago. "Help me!"

In a blink of an eye the light in the room went out, and all he could see were those hungry eyes looking at him through the bars. Yamaguchi backed up as far as he could. The next thing he knew he was falling. As he fell the hungry eyes of the man leered down at him. In utter panic and helplessness, Yamaguchi flailed wildly. He needed to get away from these eyes. He needed someone to save him.

With a horrified yell, Yamaguchi landed from his bed to the floor. He struggled as he found himself tangled in his blanket. In a matter of moments, the light no Tsukki's end of the room flashed on.

"Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima's worried voice brought Yamaguchi fully back to reality.

The next thing Yamguchi knew, Tsukki was helping him into a sitting position. "T-Tsukki?" he whispered. With his skin clammy Yamaguchi still shook with fear.

"Yamaguchi, are you okay?" Tsukishima asked as he looked at how shaken Yamaguchi was.

"Tsukki, I," Yamaguchi started only to choke out a small sob. He'd had nightmares but normally they never made him this shaken. He felt as if the dream had really happened. That he had really been in great danger.

"Hey, it's okay," Tsukishima assured as he gently rubbed Yamaguchi's back. "It was just a dream. You're okay."

"I was so sacred, Tsukki," Yamaguchi sobbed as he fought back tears. "I was in this cage, and there was this man, and the woman Mika was there too. They were going to do something horrible to me."

"It was only a dream," Tsukishima reassured as he gently embraced his best friend. "You're safe here."

Yamguchi returned the embrace as he did his best to calm down. He'd had so many nightmares but rarely ever remembered them. Why did that one feel less like a dream and more like a horrifying memory? As Tsukki held Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi began to calm down. The scent of his best friend and his calm even voice brought him back to reality.

"It's okay," Tsukisima repeated over and over until Yamguchi's breathing evened out.

After several moments Yamaguchi was able to talk again. "Sorry, Tsukki," he apologized as he sat back a bit. "I didn't mean to wake you up like that."

"You don't need to apologize for having a nightmare, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima replied, allowing Yamaguchi the space he needed.

"I know," Yamaguchi replied with a small smile. "Thanks for helping me calm down."

"It's what best friends are for," Tsukishima shrugged. "Do you think you'll be able to get back to sleep?"

Yamaguchi gave a not so confident nod that was followed by a small shrug.

In a blink of an eye, Yamaguchi felt himself being lifted from the ground and placed back in his bed. The next thing he knew Tsukki was getting in beside him.

"Here, I'll read to you until you fall back to sleep," Tsukishima explained with an even voice.

"Tsukki, you don't have to do that," Yamguchi blushed. "I'll be fine."

"I want to do it, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima replied as he pulled up an article on his tablet. "Think of it as thanks for earlier today. For snapping me out of that stupid mood I was in."

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go bright red as he snuggled into bed. His eyes were fixed on his best friend. Tsukki really was so handsome tonight. When he was with Tsukki he felt like nothing horrible would ever befall him. He had a strong urge to hold Tsukki close and soak in that safe feeling. Instead he scooted closer to his friend so that they were shoulder to shoulder.

Tsukishima studied Yamaguchi quietly. Yamaguchi wasn't sure if it was his nerves from the dream or his raging emotions, but he felt that Tsukki looked to him in longing as well. The two held the affectionate gaze for several beats. Yamaguchi felt the urge to kiss his best friend but dared not do so after only getting Tsukki back to his good mood hours ago.

"How about an article on the Archen line?" Tsukishima asked in a whisper, his gaze landing on Yamaguchi's lips for one solid beat.

"Sounds perfect," Yamaguchi replied with a small smile.

They held each other's gaze once more. Both wanting to say something. Both wanting to do something. Neither acting on the urges they felt.

Almost as if snapped out of a trance, Tsukki looked away and to his tablet. Upon doing so Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go bright pink from embarrassment. What had just happened right there? Between the emotional day, the nightmare he had just woken up from and now this, Yamaguchi wasn't able to process anything anymore.

"Just relax," Tsukishima hummed from beside Yamaguchi.

Like an obedient Lillipup, Yamaguchi relaxed beside Tsukki. With both his body and brain exhausted, he couldn't comprehend the emotions he felt.

As Tsukishima's calm even voice read about Archen, Yamaguchi felt his body melt into the bed. His muscles calmed as he began to drift into a pure restful sleep.

"Thank you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi somehow got out as he drifted into dreamland.

Yamaguchi didn't hear Tsukki's reply as he drifted to sleep. Nor did he feel the gentle press of Tsukki's lips upon his forehead.

Author's note:

Well now! That was indeed a chapter, wasn't it? Who would have thought Tsukki could be so soft. To bad Yamaguchi fell back to sleep so fast. Does Tsukki know how much Yamaguchi loves him? Could be he unaware of his best friend's feelings? Is Yamaguchi aware of Tsukki's feelings? WHAT WAS UP WITH THAT DREAM? Who was that man in the mask. There is only one way to find out and that is to stay tuned?

Yeah I unloaded a lot of stuff in this chapter. I hope you are ready for some change soon because it is coming. What sort of change you may ask? Well I'm not going to say! That is for you to find out.

As always want to thank you readers for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I would love to hear what you think about this chapter so please drop a comment or review down below if you have a chance.

You can expect the next chapter to be out on time next weekend so keep an eye out for it.

That's all for this chapter. I feel like if I say anymore I'll give too much away. As always, see you next chapter!


	54. Parting Ways

Oh my, what will come next for our two boys as they each go to their respective training camps. Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 54!

Parting Ways

The next morning Yamaguchi woke to find himself quite alone in bed. He was a bit groggy but otherwise well-rested despite his nightmare from the night before. It was strange. He was so shaken from the nightmare. If had felt so real but now those feelings had all but vanished yet the memory lingered.

Rolling in bed he turned to find Tsukki reading in his own bed. Yamaguchi's couldn't help but study Tsukki as the taller trainer flipped through a book. With the blinds only covering half the winder the early morning sun shone down upon Tsukki like a spotlight. Tsukki's beautiful blond hair looked of gold. His smooth pale skin looks so soft. His amber eyes shone as they scanned the page of the book with interest. Yamaguchi's heart did a crazy flip as he zoned in on Tsukki's lips. Unlike his own, Tsukki's lips were never chapped and always looked so soft. Yamaguchi wondered if they were as soft as they looked.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Tsukishima asked upon noticing Yamaguchi awake.

Yamaguchi made an odd sound as his face went red. He pulled the covers up a bit in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. Sounding a little like a baby Pokemon, Yamaguchi replied with a quiet "No, you didn't wake me."

Tsukishima gave a small 'hum' as he studied Yamaguchi. "Are you feeling better this morning?"

"Y-Yeah, much better," Yamaguchi said as he got control of his heart. He sat up in bed as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. "Thanks for reading to me," he said as he stifled a yawn.

"Not a problem," Tsukishima shrugged as he turned back to his book.

A lazy silence hung in the room. Tsukki flipped through the pages of his book while Yamaguchi gently stroked Eevee's back. It had been ages since they had not only slept in a proper bed but didn't have to rush awake, and Yamaguchi was savoring every moment of it.

"So, I guess today we split ways for a week," Yamaguchi said with a small sigh. He was so excited to see what the Showcase camp had to offer, but being away from Tsukki broke his heart.

"Yeah," Tsukishima calmly hummed. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Since we last spent so much time apart," he carried on as if he could read Yamaguchi's worries.

"It's kind of strange knowing that we'll be so far," Yamaguchi agreed. "Where will your camp be?"

"I will be near Coumarine City," Tsukishima hummed.

"Oh," Yamaguchi hummed in mimic, doing his best to sound like he knew where that was when he clearly didn't.

"Its east of here, also on the coast," Tsukishima explained, able to see right through Yamaguchi. "Normally it would take us a few days to walk there, but according to Kuroo, we'll drive there from here. It's only a few hours by car."

"Well, that's not too bad," Yamaguchi said mostly to make himself feel better about the separation.

"Yeah, not too bad," Tsukishima agreed. "I was told that you're camp is near this city."

"Oh, I haven't even asked Kuroo for any details yet," Yamaguchi squeaked, realizing he had no idea what he was actually getting into.

"I'm not sure but from what I heard last night it will be held at a training center just outside the city," Tsukishima explained.

"Thanks for letting me know," Yamaguchi laughed, wondering what he would have done if Tsukki hadn't told him.

"Just promise me one thing while we are apart," Tsukishima said, sitting up in bed.

"What?" Yamaguchi questioned, tilting his head to the side.

"No reckless behaviour and no wandering into the forest on your own," Tsukishima demanded. Yamaguchi was a magnet for bad situations, and being apart from him for a week caused Tsukishima's stomach to ache.

"What?! How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not reckless!" Yamaguchi scolded, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. "I'm just clumsy and that's all."

Tsukishima side-eyed Yamaguchi. He knew Yamaguchi better than anyone in the world. Yamaguchi was indeed clumsy but that wasn't the only reason he got into so much trouble. "Nothing reckless while I am away," Tsukishima reiterated, not backing down.

Yamaguchi did his best to leer at Tsukki but it had very little effect. He then released a defeated sigh, his shoulders sagging as he did so. "Fine, I promise not to be reckless while you're away."

"Good," Tsukishima said with a curt nod of approval.

"I'm still not reckless though," Yamaguchi added with a pout.

Tsukishima cracked a smile at his friend's expression. Yamaguchi had no clue how cute he could be. It was criminal.

"Well, we should probably get ready to head out," Tsukishima said as he stood up from the bed. "Check out it soon and we also have to meet up with the others."

With that, the two trainers readied themselves for the next step of their growth.

They headed out of their room just in time to check out. When they got to the Pokemon Center lobby, they were greeted by Yachi, a very excited Hinata, Kenma who has his eyes fixed to some sort of game system, and Kuroo who greeted them with a smile.

"Morning," Yamaguchi called out, his voice full of good cheer.

"Hey there, Freckles," Kuroo said with a confident wink. "Good to see you were able to drag Tsukki out of bed."

Tsukishima shot Kuroo a frown but said nothing.

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh as he joined the group. "I'm usually the one who is hard to get out of bed," he admitted.

"Oh is that so," Kuroo said, eyeing Tsukki.

Tsukishima made sure to stand between Yamaguchi and Kuroo as he joined the group. Yamaguchi didn't take notice of the maneuver but Kuroo sure did. This won Tsukki one of Kuroo's knowing grins.

"So, you're coming with me to the Showcase Camp?" Yachi asked, full of hope.

"Yeah, I decided it would be stupid of me to pass up the offer," Yamaguchi replied with a small shrug.

"Thank goodness," Yachi sighed in relief. "I don't know if I could have gone all on my own."

Yamaguchi sent Yachi a smile. He hated to part with Tsukki, but really looked forward to spending some time with Yachi. They really did have so much in common.

"We're going to have to head out soon," Kuroo cut in. "We have a long drive ahead of us, but my buddy Yaku should be here soon to pick you two up."

Yamaguchi half wondered if this Yaku was the same one he met at that one showcase.

"I'm ready to go whenever," Hinata piped in with an excited jump.

"How about you, Tsukki? You ready to go?" Kuroo asked with a huge grin.

"Don't call me Tsukki," Tsukishima snapped back. "And, yeah, I guess I'm ready to go too," he added, not looking too happy about having to share a car with Kuroo and Hinata.

"Well, if you're ready we should head out," Kuroo hummed.

Yamaguchi felt his heart sink. He was really about to part with Tsukki. He knew it would be for just a week, but it still made him uneasy. What if he had another nightmare? Tsukki was always there to calm him down. What if he got lost again? Tsukki was always there to find him. What if he just got lonely? He always had Tsukki by his side to remind him he wasn't alone. Yamaguchi really didn't want to part with his best friend but he knew they would never be able to go forward if they allowed this opportunity to pass up.

Yamaguchi shifted awkwardly. He didn't quite know how to say bye to Tsukki. He felt his cheeks go pink at overthinking such a simple task.

"I'll miss you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi somehow got out. His voice held a hint of sadness that everyone noticed. He felt his face go beet red. That's not what he meant to say aloud.

If they had been alone Tsukishima probably could have hugged him. Tsukishima's cheeks went pink as he tried to ignore Kuroo's grin. "You'll be fine, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima stiffly replied as he placed a hand on Yamaguchi's shoulder.

Yamaguchi thanked Arceus that Tsukki was such a composed person. If Tsukki had said something like that to him he could have melted on the spot.

"Will you miss me too, Yamaguchi?" Hinata cut in. It was hard to tell if Hinata couldn't read the air or if he just didn't care.

"Y-Yeah, I guess," Yamaguchi shrugged awkwardly, not wanting to hurt Hinata's feelings.

"Take good care of Yachi while I'm away!" Hinata added with a grin.

"Yachi is the one who is going to have to take care of Yamaguchi," Tsukishima added in a low grumble.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean," Yamaguchi squeaked, hands on his hips.

"He says he isn't reckless but he is," Tsukishima warned Yachi. "He looks innocent but he's not, so make sure he doesn't die while I am away."

"Oh! I'll do my best," Yachi replied with an unsure giggle.

"Hey! I'm not reckless," Yamaguchi pouted. Honestly, he hated confrontation and dangerous situations. He was just clumsy.

"Yeah if anything happens to little Yama here, Tsukki might kill us all," Kuroo laughed. Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink as Tsukki shot Kuroo a death glare.

With that, the party going to Coumarine City gathered their belongings. Yamaguchi found a quick moment to bid Tsukki a goodbye with less prying eyes.

"I really am going to miss you," Yamaguchi admitted as he helped Tsukki secure his backpack on his back.

"It's only for a week," Tsukishiam reiterated as he did his best to keep his heart quiet. The longing in Yamaguchi's eyes was going to be the death of him.

"I know," Yamaguchi said as he looked down.

"Hey, if it makes you feel better we can always call each other," Tsukishima hummed, doing his best not to look at Yamaguchi for too long.

"Y-You're okay with that?" Yamaguchi asked, his eyes more bright now. He'd at least be able to hear Tsukki's voice.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Tsukishima shrugged, a bit surprised by Yamaguchi's reaction.

"But what if you're having too much fun to talk to me," Yamaguchi asked with a small pout.

Tsukishima knew that if anyone was going to be having too much fun it would be Yamaguchi. "I will definitely need an excuse to step away from those two idiots," Tsukishima grumbled as he shot Kuroo and Hinata a look. The two were apparently double-teaming Kenma with some sort of story.

"Than let's make it a date," Yamaguchi said with a bright smile. Both trainers blushed at his usage of the word 'date'. "I-I mean plan," Yamaguchi quickly corrected.

"Y-Yeah, s-sounds good," Tsukishima gave a curt nod as he fought the fluttering feeling in his stomach.

"Good," Yamaguchi nodded.

"Good!" Tsukishima repeated.

An awkward silence hung between the two. Neither wanted to leave the other.

"Hey, if you two Luvdiscs are done saying goodbye we are leaving now," Kuroo yelled out with a whistle.

Yamaguchi almost fainted. 'Luvdisc'? Was he that obvious? He couldn't hide the pounding of his heart or reddening of his face. He dare not look to see Tsukki's reaction in case it be negative.

"Shut up, Kuroo," Tsukishima snapped. "Don't listen to him. Getting all flustered is what he wants to see," He then said to Yamaguchi.

"Oh, yeah," Yamaguchi somehow got out through his embarrassment.

"Well, I better go," Tsukishima sighed, not wanting Kuroo to heckle them even more.

"Y-Yeah," Yamaguchi nodded, his heart sinking.

"Talk to you soon?" Tsukishima asked.

"Maybe tonight or tomorrow?" Yamaguchi suggested. "So I can make sure you made it safe."

"I suppose I can manage that. I wouldn't want you to worry yourself sick," Tsukishima teased.

"Hey, be nice to me," Yamaguchi pouted. "You know I'm terrible with goodbyes."

"Sorry," Tsukishima smiled, enjoying Yamaguchi's pout.

The two held eye contact for a long moment. Their hands brushed in a way they normally wouldn't. It sent tingles all up Yamaguchi's arm. They became unaware of where they were. Yamaguchi so badly wanted to lean up and give Tsukki a goodbye kiss or fall into Tsukki's arms for a farewell hug. The yearning flooded out of his eyes, for everyone to see. Tsukki's eyes looked just as hungry. Yamaguchi could only wish it was the same sort of hunger he felt.

"Hurry up, Tsukishima," Hinata snapped.

The moment was lost between the two as a deep frown took over Tsukki's face.

"I'll see you in a week, Tsukki," Yamaguchi giggled. It would be hard but he wouldn't let Tsukki or his team down.

"If I don't die of annoyance before than," Tsukishima sighed.

"Stay strong, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said, giving Tsukki's hand a squeeze before letting it go.

"See you soon, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima replied. With that Yamaguchi reluctantly watched Tsukki get into the large black SUV that would take them to Coumarine City.

Yamaguchi stood outside the Pokemon Center waving until the care was out of sight. He had no clue what to do with himself now that Tsukki was gone. He felt like part of his heart had left with Tsukki. It was a very empty feeling.

"It's hard to see them go but I'm kind of excited," Yachi admitted from beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi gave a small start. He had almost forgotten Yachi was there. "Yeah, I'm excited too," he said with a smile. He hoped that the next time he saw Tsukki he'd have something new to show him.

"Hey, want to go check out the accessory store down the street until Kuroo's friend arrives?" Yachi suggested with a sweet smile.

"Sure, sounds good," Yamaguchi agreed, motioning for Yachi to lead the way.

The two trainers spent a fair amount of time rummaging through the apparel store. Yachi picked up some floral berets for her Pokemon while Eevee convinced Yamaguchi to buy her a glittering pink ribbon. Along with the glittering ribbon, Yamaguchi found an adorable yellow bandana for Riolu, a pink pearl necklace for Brionne, and a cupcake beret for Swirlix. A good dose of spoiling was never a bad thing.

When the two arrived back at the Pokemon center with their bounty Yamaguchi was not too surprised to see a very familiar face waiting by the entrance. Yamaguchi was right in thinking this Yaku guy was the same one he met a while back. From the look on Yaku's face, it seemed he had also come to a similar conclusion.

"Yamaguchi, I didn't know you knew Kuroo," Yaku greeted warmly. "It's good to see you again."

"Yeah, Kuroo is someone Tsukki and I met early into our journey," Yamaguchi nodded. "And it's good to see you too, Yaku!"

"Wait, you two know each other?" Yachi gasped in confusion.

"Yeah, we competed against each other in a Showcase a while back," Yaku explained.

"Yaku is really amazing, Yachi!" Yamaguchi added, remembering how great Yaku had been on stage.

"Hey, you're going to make me blush," Yaku teased as he gave Yamaguchi a playful shove.

The three trainers shared a laugh as they became a bit more acquainted. Upon hearing that Yamaguchi did know Yaku, Yachi's nerves eased up a bit. Conversation between the three came quite easy as Yaku lead them out of town to the training camp.

"We should arrive in about 20 minutes. Everyone else should already be there by now," Yaku said as they walked through the forest.

"I hope picking us up didn't cause you any trouble," Yachi gasped.

"None at all," Yaku insisted. "The more the merrier, honestly. And from the sound of it, Kuroo really believes in you two."

"H-He does?" Yamaguchi and Yachi gasped in unison, both very touched to find that Kuroo spoke highly of them.

"Yep, he says I need to keep my eye on you two if I don't want to fall behind," Yaku laughed.

"Yachi is quite graceful on the stage," Yamaguchi nodded. If you asked him, Yachi was the cutest contestant in all of Kalos.

"What?! Me! No way!" Yachi sputtered as she almost tripped over a bump in the path. "Yamaguchi, you're the one that takes people by surprise all the time."

"That's just luck and we both know it," Yamaguchi sighed. He had only gotten as far as he has on luck.

Yaku let out a loud laugh. "Sometimes it's hard for us to see our own potential," Yaku said as he led the two. "Sometimes we need others to point it out for us."

It wasn't long before the three arrived at what looked to be several cabins, a few large buildings, and a huge training ground with what looked to be an official battle field. Yamaguchi had never seen anything like it in his life. His eyes wandered as he looked to see if anyone else was around but the place looked empty. Had Yaku taken them to the wrong location?

"Everyone is probably in the showroom," Yaku said as he led the two to the largest of the buildings.

Yamaguchi's eyes lit up as they entered the building. It really was a showroom. There was a stage and seats all around. Were real showcases held here? At the stage, Yamaguchi saw several people gathered.

"Hey, sorry we're late," Yaku called to the group.

"No need to worry, we are still waiting for Suga," A tall male trainer with stubble on his chin replied. As Yamaguchi arrived at the stage, he couldn't help but notice how large the man was but despite all that, he looked as if he wouldn't hurt a fly.

Yaku hopped up on stage to join the others. Unsure of what to do, Yamaguchi and Yachi followed after.

"Hey Yama, Yachi!" Noya greeted as he popped his head out from behind the taller man. "These are the proteges I told you about, Asahi," Noya said, giving the taller man a nudge.

"Oh, uh, hello," Asahi greeted nervously. He looked almost scared of Yachi and Yamaguchi, who were both the most harmless trainers you could ever meet.

"You can call me Yamaguchi," Yamaguchi greeted with as friendly a smile as he could manage.

"And I'm Yachi!" Yachi piped in sweetly.

"It's nice to meet you both," Asahi said, his shoulders less tense. "Noya has talked a lot about you two."

Yamaguchi wasn't surprised to hear that. It seemed Noya would take any chance he got to brag about being a mentor. Yamaguchi took a second to scan over the rest of the people on stage. Noticing how shy both Yamaguchi and Yachi seemed to be about all the new faces, Noya jumped right into the action.

"Let me introduce you to everyone," Noya excitedly started. "This guy here is Kinoshita," Noya cheered.

Kinoshita, a trainer with short dusty brown hair gave a small bow as he said "Nice to meet you."

"The guy next to him is Fukunaga," Noya pointed to a quiet-looking trainer with short black hair who gave a silent bow as his greeting.

"Fukunaga doesn't say much but he's one of those guys you need to keep an eye on," Yaku whispered to both Yachi and Yamaguchi.

"This here is Konoha," Noya carried on, pointing to a trainer with short grayish-brown hair.

"It's nice to meet you both," Konoha greeted, he smiled at the two as his thin eyes examined them. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel like he was being sized up.

"These two beautiful ladies next to him are the sweet Yui and wonderful Yukie," Noya sang.

"It's good to see you doing well, Yamaguchi," Yui greeted with a kind smile as Yukie gave a small lazy wave.

"It's good to see you too, Yui," Yamaguchi hummed. Back when he last saw Yui, he wasn't even doing showcases.

"And all we're missing now is Suga, Daichi, and Kiyoko," Noya said, melting a bit when he mentioned Kiyoko. Yamaguchi felt Yachi stiffen with excitement from beside him.

Almost on cue the door to the stadium opened.

"Sorry we are late," Sugawara called as he entered the building.

"Well, speak of the devil," Yaku snickered.

"We got a little caught up along the way," Sugawara explained with a cheeky smile.

Yamaguchi turned to look and saw Sugawara walking towards the stage. Behind him was a huge man with short black hair that Yamaguchi could only assume was Daichi. Behind Daichi was Kiyoko, who quietly followed the two. To the surprise of everyone else, there was a fourth member of the party.

Yamaguchi's eyes widened with surprises as Yachi gasped a shocked "Kageyama?" from beside him.

What was Kageyama doing at a showcase training camp?

Authors note:

Oh my! What is Kageyama doing here? He is not a showcase contestant! Will he be able to mend things with Yachi while reunited. How Will Yamaguchi and Tsukishima fair now that they are apart? Will they both make it out of these camps with a lot to show? That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned.

As always, thank you all so much for your bookmarks, follows, kudos, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers so if you have time, please leave a comment or review and let me know what you think about the chapter or the fic as a whole. Feedback is always appreciated.

I don't have much more to say today. I am still in shock from reading chapter 369 of the Haikyu! Manga. I am not going to say more here so as to not spoil but if you want someone to chat about it with you can find me on Tumblr pastaprincess.

Well, that is all for now. See you next chapter.


	55. Training Camp Begins

Hey all! I hope you're ready to see what goes down at training camp. Who will Yamaguchi meet? What will he learn? Why is Kageyama of all people there? Let's find out.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 55!

Training Camp Begins

"Kageyama, what are you-?" Yachi barely choked out, her face nothing but shocked at seeing her missing friend.

Yamaguchi also couldn't believe his eyes. He thought Kageyama wasn't into Showcases, so what was he doing here?

Awkwardly tucked behind Sugawara, Kageyama gave an awkward wave but said nothing. He looked very much so out of place and as if he didn't want to be here. He made brief eye contact with Yachi and Yamaguchi before focusing on a spot just behind the group.

"I found him wandering alone in the forest," Sugawara said with a loud laugh. "He insisted he was fine but barely had any food on him so I brought him here. I hope that's okay."

"Fine by me. The more the merrier," Yaku shrugged as everyone else made sounds of agreement.

"His name is Kageyama, by the way," Sugawara carried on with one of his bright smiles. "Why don't you introduce yourself?" he whispered to Kageyama as he pushed him towards the stage.

Kageyama went stiff but did little to resist Sugawara. "You can call me Kageyama," He restated with a very stiff uncomfortable bow.

Sugawara smiled like a proud parent.

It was at that moment that Yachi rushed from the stage to the side of her friend. "Kageyama I've been so worried about you," she gasped, still stunned to see him. She looked as if she could cry from the relief.

"Sorry to make you worry," Kageyama mumbled, shuffling his feet like a small child.

"So you two are friends?" Sugawara asked, mildly surprised. Those who didn't know Yachi and Kageyama probably didn't expect them to know each other.

"Yes, he was one of my travel companions," Yachi clarified with an earnest nod.

"How did you two split up?" Sugawara innocently asked.

An awkward tense silence hung between Yachi and Kageyama. Worry washed over Yachi while Kageyama scowled. Sugawara seemed to realize he had asked the wrong question. Yamaguchi felt a tug of curiosity. He also wanted to know what had caused Kageyama to leave like he did.

"Hey, why don't we join the others on the stage," Sugawara suggested, motioning the two forward.

Kageyama seemed to relax, causing Yachi to calm down as well. The two nodded as they joined everyone on the stage once more. Kageyama sent Yamaguchi a small nod as he stood beside him. Yamaguchi smiled as he nodded back. He didn't take notice of the small blush that dusted Kageyama's cheeks as he did so.

"Now that everyone seems to be here we can go over the itinerary for the week," Yaku announced as he pulled out a stack of papers. "For the morning, we will focus on round one training. Each day will be a different theme. In the afternoon we'll focus on creating new routines and sharing ideas. As for the evenings, you can choose whatever you want to focus on. We also have assigned everyone cleaning and cooking duty each day, so please take a look at the list to see when you will be on duty."

Yamaguchi gave a small hum of understanding as a copy of the week's schedule was passed to him. He scanned over the paper to see he was on cooking duty every night along with Suga and Noya. He looked forward to working with the two. He noticed that Yachi would be partnered with Kiyoko and Yaku every morning for breakfast. He felt a bit of excitement on Yachi's behalf. She must be pumped to work with Kiyoko.

"We will each have a roommate we will be sharing a cabin with," Yaku carried on. "For the next half hour we're going to settle into our rooms, and then meet back here to start the training. I will pass out your room keys now and you and your roommate can head to your cabin."

Everyone gave various sounds of understanding as Yaku approached Yui with a key. Yamaguchi scanned the group of people wondering who he'd be rooming with. A wave of shyness washed over him. It didn't occur to him that he may have to share a room with a stranger.

"Yamaguchi," Sugawara greeted with a joyful smile. "I'm so happy to see you again," as he spoke Sugawara did sound genuinely happy.

"Sugawara," Yamaguchi stiffly greeted. "Thank you so much for before. Prompting me to take up Showcases and all."

"Don't thank me!," Sugawara laughed, giving Yamaguchi's shoulder a surprisingly sturdy pat. "But I was so happy to see you chose this path. I saw your showcases. You're definitely a natural."

"O-Oh, thank you," Yamaguchi sputtered as his cheeks when bright pink. His mind focused on his last showcase. Sugawara was one of the top showcase contestants and he'd witnessed Yamaguchi's embarrassing failure.

"Hey, I hope you don't mind but I had Yaku pair you up with Kageyama as your roommate," Sugawara carried on. "I know he isn't a showcase contestant himself but he mentioned that he knew you already so I hope that won't be a problem."

Yamaguchi glanced at Kageyama who blushed. "No, it's not a problem at all," Yamaguchi replied, sounding more relieved than he meant. He was grateful to have someone he knew as a roommate.

"Great, here's your key," Sugawara said, patting Yamaguchi on the shoulder once more. "Make sure you two are back here by 1:30. That's when we will start, so don't be late," He winked before leaving the two trainers.

Yamaguchi sent Kageyama a very awkward smile, unsure what to say. Kageyama went stiff as his mouth contorted into what was probably meant to be a smile back. It was kind of cute how awkward Kageyama could be.

"Well, shall we head to our room?" Yamaguchi asked with a weak shrug.

Kageyama replied with a curt nod.

With that, the two headed to their shared cabin. The walk was quiet but not completely uncomfortable. Yamaguchi was used to silence due to how often he and Tsukki would travel together in long stretches of comfortable silence. It wasn't long before the two arrived at their cabin.

The cabin was small and to their surprise, the room seemed to have been built for one, meaning there was only one large bed. The two stood in the doorway as they looked upon the sleeping situation. Neither spoke a word as the door shut on its own behind them. How did Yamaguchi always find himself in these situations?

"I-I'll take the right side of the bed," Yamaguchi spoke first as he dropped his things on the right side of the room.

"Fine with me," Kageyama replied as he made his way to the other side.

Yamaguchi placed Eevee on the bed as he organized some of his things. Eevee gave a small purr of greeting as Kageyama sat on the other side of the bed to do the same. She gave a small trill as Kageyama stoked her mane.

"So, you and Sugawara know each other?" Yamaguchi asked doing his best to keep things from feeling too awkward.

"Ran into him about three days ago and he wouldn't leave me alone," Kageyama replied. "He insisted I come here even though I'm not a Showcase Contestant."

"He was probably just worried for you being alone for so long," Yamaguchi shrugged as he organized his clothes in a small dresser beside the bed.

"A lot of trainers travel alone," Kageyama grumbled as he too unpacked his bag into the other dresser.

"Yeah, but you honestly gave off some very lonely vibes when we met in the forest that one time," Yamaguchi pointed out.

"Did not!" Kageyama snapped, his cheeks pink.

Yamaguchi's stifled a laugh at Kageyama's reaction only to cause Kageyama to pout.

"You know Yachi was very worried about you, so you better apologize to her for not contacting her all this time," Yamaguchi carried on, sounding more like a mother than he meant.

Kageyama only pouted more at this but his eyes carried a large amount of guilt. "I will," he grumbled.

Silence hung between the two as they finished up the last of their unpacking.

"But I'm happy to see you again, Kageyama," Yamaguchi said with a bright smile. "It's good to see that you are well."

Kageyama's cheeks went red as he turned quickly away from Yamaguchi. "It's good to see you, too," He grumbled.

Interacting with Kageyama was always so awkward, but Yamaguchi also found it equally endearing. For someone who scowled so often, he blushed just as much. Yamaguchi studied Kageyama for a long moment. Was Kageyama always this pink in the face when interacting with others? Perhaps he just wasn't used to this much human interaction in one day.

"W-We should probably head back so we are not too late," Kageyama mumbled, only making eye contact for a moment before quickly looking to the door.

"Oh right!" Yamaguchi gasped, noticing that they only had about five minutes before the meeting time. Time had passed so fast he barely noticed.

With that the two trainers headed back to the theater hall.

Once at the hall Yamaguchi was happy to find that Yachi was rooming with her idol, Kiyoko. The small girl was visibly pink with joy. Her giddiness radiated in such a way that Yamaguchi felt the secondhand excitement from across the room.

"Since half the day is already over, we are just going to roll on into routine practice," Noya explained, his tone overflowing with excitement. "We have made groups, and in them you will work alongside to support each other."

The room was filled with excitement as the camp officially started. Noya went around the room separating everyone into smaller groups. The groups were made up of more experienced trainers and newer trainers, like Yamaguchi. In Yamaguchi's small group he found himself paired up with Sugawara and Yui, as well as Kageyama and Daichi who were both there to watch if anything.

"I know the perfect place for us to practice!" Sugawara said with an excited grin as he naturally took on the role of the group leader. "It's a bit of a walk, but there will be enough space for us all to work."

The small group headed out, following Sugawara as he led them from the camp into the woods. Small talk grew among the small group as they followed after Sugawara.

"So Daichi," Yui started a bit awkwardly, her cheeks pink as she addressed the male trainer. "What brings you here to this training camp? Don't you need to be at your gym in case someone comes to challenge it?"

"You're a gym leader?" Yamaguchi and Kageyama both asked in unison.

At this Sugawara let out a loud laugh as Daichi seemed to show a bit of embarrassment.

"Yeah, I'm the leader of the Snowbelle City Gym," Daichi replied modestly. "But I have a week off so I thought I'd join you all here to help out and catch up."

"B-But what about the gym challenges?" Kageyama asked, his tone serious.

"We gym leaders don't get much time off but we are allowed a few weeks in the year," Daichi explained. "We also need to take rests, ya know."

"I guess going nonstop would even make the strongest trainers burn out," Yui laughed.

"It's been almost a year since I've had so much time off," Daichi nodded. "A chance of scenery like this will hopefully inspire new ideas in battle."

"New ideas in battle…" Yamaguchi hummed. Battling was something he still had very little experience in. The concept was still quite new to him. He hoped Tsukki was able to gain some new battle ideas during his time at the battle training camp.

It wasn't long before the group arrived at a beautiful clearing. At one end of the clearing, there was a cliff that overlooked Shalour City. In the distance the blue ocean could be seen just beyond the city. A warm salty sea breeze danced in the wind as Yamaguchi took in the view. It was definitely a beautiful spot to come up with a new routine.

"Now, in most showcases you use one Pokemon per routine. But in some cases you may have to use up to three Pokemon. For now we will focus on routines that focus on one Pokemon since more advanced routines come much later on down the line," Sugawara explained to both Yamaguchi and Yui.

Yui seemed to be familiar with this information, but Yamaguchi hadn't heard of a three Pokemon routine. He wondered if his team was even ready for working together like that on stage. Images of Riolu and Eevee danced in his mind's eye. It would definitely be a catastrophe now if he used those two in a routine together.

"I thought maybe we could start with brainstorming moves and dance steps together to get the brain juices flowing for today. We can each construct our own individual routines from tomorrow," Sugawara carried on in much confidence.

"Yeah, I could use some new ideas," Yui agreed brightly.

Yamaguchi gave a nod as well. He honestly knew very little about dancing, and he and Popplio had just been lucky the one time they won.

"Let's call out our Pokemon. Dancing together with all of them would be best so everyone gets experience," Sugawara instructed. With that he called out a Gallade, Audino, Cinccino, and a Milotic.

Yamaguchi couldn't hold back his amazement. All of Sugawara's pokemon were simply beautiful. Their fur, scales and skin shined in perfection. Yamaguchi could only dream of his Pokemon looking so naturally beautiful. He had to ask Sugawara what he did to achieve that.

For Yui's team she called out her Kirlia, Aromatisse, Beautifly, and Turtwig. Her team also shone with beauty under the summer sun. Just looking at Sugawara and Yui's team one could tell they were both experienced trainers.

Yamaguchi called his team out as well. Brionne, Eevee, Swirlix, and Riolu were all at the ready to show what they had. His team was definitely the smallest in size of the bunch but all seemed excited for the training. Even Eevee purred with joy.

Daichi and Kageyama were put on helper duty. Kageyama was tasked with manning the music Sugawara had brought along while Daichi was to hold a camera that would film them all dancing.

"The best way to improve is to film yourself and see where you need work. Sometimes it's hard to know where things are off unless you see it yourself," Sugawara explained after setting up the camera.

Embarrassment flooded Yamaguchi at the idea of watching himself dance, but it was something he should've thought of himself. He'd need to remember to pick up a camera once back in the city so he could keep on filming himself after the camp.

"Today we are going to focus on tempo and keeping together as a group with our team. Being one with your Pokemon is the most important thing to a routine and learning the basics is the best way to build a strong foundation," Sugawara explained.

Yamaguchi and his team listened in a sort of serious silence as Sugawara went over the dance. It was indeed simple with only a few tricky moves in it. They then listened to the upbeat song that went along with the moves. It was catchy and fun, but Yamaguchi wondered if he and his team could keep up.

Before long they were all up on their feet dancing and swaying to the music. It was obvious from the start that Yamaguchi and his team were not as in synch as Yui and her team or Sugawara and his team. Yamaguchi and his team were not necessarily falling all over each other, but they did bump into one another several times and Yamaguchi almost stepped on Eevee twice.

Yamaguchi was exhausted when Sugawara finally allowed them a break. "We'll take a twenty-minute break. Make sure to eat something and drink a lot of water," Sugawara instructed.

They had gone nonstop for a good two hours, so Yamaguchi made sure to give his Pokemon each a small snack of his homemade Pokemon chow and a lot of water. As his team ate he made his way over to the cliff's edge to take in the view. He took in the scenery allowing himself to relax. The city of Shalour city shined in the late summer sun. He could see the Tower of Mastery floating out in the ocean. While it held bad memories, the tower was beautiful to look at. His gaze then wandered to the forest that separated the cliff from the city. He could see the camp peeking out from between the trees. Even closer to the clif he saw another strange building situated in a large clearing. Was that part of the camp?

"You and your team aren't so bad, you know," Sugawara hummed, catching Yamaguchi off guard.

With a small start Yamaguchi looked to his side to find Sugawara smiling brightly. Sugawara truly was such a beautiful man.

"Th-thank you," Yamaguchi blushed, unable to help himself. "We still have a lot of work to get where you and Yui are at."

"For a new team, you guys aren't half bad," Sugawara pointed out, his tone honest. "But I've been meaning to ask you, how much battling do you and your team do?"

"Battling?" Yamaguchi echoed. He shifted awkwardly for a moment. "Not much, if at all," he admitted.

"I expected as much," Sugawara said with a small good natured chuckle. "While we don't battle in Showcases themselves, the quickest and most natural way to get insync with your Pokemon is through battling."

"R-Right," Yamaguchi replied, his tone none too confident. He sucked at battling but if Sugawara was correct than he couldn't run from it forever.

"I'm not telling you that you need to battle but it might be more helpful for you than you expect," Sugawara carried on calmly. His eyes flashed towards Kageyama who was currently playing with Yamaguchi's Riolu. "I'm sure there are some experienced battlers who would be more than willing to lend you some advice."

Yamguchi followed Sugawara's gaze. Was Sugawara implying he ask Kageyama for help. Yamaguchi didn't want to cause any sort of burden for Kageyama. The stoic trainer didn't really seem like the teaching type. If Yamaguchi asked would Kageyama even be able to help him? He wished Tsukki were here to fulfill that roll.

"Think about it!" Sugawara hummed as he gave Yamaguchi's back a pat before heading back to his team.

Before long, the group was back to training, but every time after they finished the dance they would watch it back on the video camera and take note of where they would need to improve. Every time Yamaguchi's face could go bright red with embarrassment. How Sugawara and Yui could dance so well and not look down at their feet truly baffled him. But, as time went on Yamaguchi had to admit that he and his team did improve their ability to stay in sync.

It was around 5pm when Sugawara, Yamaguchi and Kageyama headed back to the camp to make dinner for the night, while Yui stayed back with Daichi to practice a bit more. The walk back was mostly quiet. Every now and then, Yamaguchi and Sugawara would discuss this and that about the routine they had practiced that day. They were about half way back to camp when it happened.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Tobio!" came a very snide voice from behind them.

Authors Note:

Oh my, what a pleasant camp his has turned out to be for our dear Yamaguchi. I do wonder who that is calling Kageyama's name? Is it a friend or foe? I wonder how things are going on Tsukki's end? Is he enjoying his camp as much as Yamaguchi is enjoying his time? Stay tuned to find out!

As always, I appreciate all the kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to get feedback from my readers so please drop a comment down below if you have time.

Sorry if this chapter was a bit boring. I know the past few chapters have been on the dramatic side so I hope the training camp isn't too boring for you all to read. I'll do my best not to drag things out.

I don't know about you guys but I am so excited for the new Pokemon Sword and Sheild! It totally gives me crazy Tsukkiyama vibes. I know Yama is not a sword but it's kind of close, right. Anyways, I will be getting the same and there is a multiplayer mode on it so if anyone else here is playing and wants to do group raid battles or traid let me know. You can reach me on Trumblr ( pastaprincess) or you can just contact me here. I wish the game was out already! I am probably going to go with shield. I am also so tempted to make my character as Yamaguchi as I can! I wonder what new starter Yamaguchi would choose. Maybe Sobble or Grookey?

This is another one of those weeks where I'm a bit under the weather so that is all I have to say for now. You all take care and see you next chapter.


	56. Battle Training Starts

Hey all! I have for you good old chapter 56 Let's find out who it is in the forest? Also, the curry they make in this chapter is based off of Japanese curry. Just to make it clear to you all :P I realized some of the ingredients might seem strange if you're thinking of other curries. The secret ingredient in this chapter is something I learned from a Japanese exchange student back at school. But it's a secret so shhhhhhh!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 56!

Battle Training Starts

All three trainers turned to find none other than Oikawa Tooru emerging from the brush.

"Oikawa!" Kageyama hissed as his pout turned into a full on frown.

"It's good to see that you're not lost and starving alone anymore," Oikawa carried on, his tone nothing but taunting.

"I wasn't lost," Kageyama grumbled.

A very tense moment passed between Oikawa and Kageyama. The air was thick and they both looked quite aggressive. Yamaguchi had no clue what to make of it? Did these two know each other?

Almost as quickly as it started, Oikawa looked away from Kageyama. His eyes floated over Yamaguchi and landed on Sugawara. With much dramatics, Oikawa pushed past Yamaguchi, almost knocking him to the group.

"What in Arceus's name are you doing with these two dumpy trainers?" Oikawa sighed as he slung a far too friendly arm around Sugawara's shoulder.

"Oikawa!" Sugawara scolded in a mix of disapproval and shock.

"Honestly, being around them seems to tarnish your normally radiant shine, Suga," Oikawa carried on.

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Sugaware sharply replied as he pulled away from Oikawa. "And please don't call them dumpy."

"I'm just calling it as I see it, Suga," Oikawa said as he winked at Sugawara.

Sugawara rolled his beautiful eyes. Sometimes Oikawa was just too much.

"Why are you even here, Oikawa?" Kageyama snapped. "You better not be here for the training camp or I'll-" he began, but was cut off before he could finish.

"I would never waste my time with a rutty training camp," Oikawa cut in.

While Kageyama seemed upset and Sugawara looked annoyed, Yamaguchi didn't really care what Oikawa thought of him or the camp. He just wanted Oikawa to leave so the tense atmosphere could dissipate. Then, almost as if he was sent by Arceus himself, Iwaizumi emerged from where Oikawa had just entered.

"You better not be causing trouble!" Iwaizumi snapped as he caught sight of Oikawa being buddy-buddy with an unwilling Sugawara.

"Looks like the fun is over," Oikawa shrugged, backing off just a bit.

"I hope he didn't cause you any trouble," Iwaizumi apologized.

"He was just being his normal self," Sugawara shrugged unable to hide a small amused smile as Oikawa obeyed Iwaizumi.

"So he was trouble," Iwaizumi grumbled.

"I wasn't being a problem!"

Iwaizumi looked from Kageyama to Sugawara to Yamaguchi, all of whom looked bothered.

"They just can't take a joke," Oikawa carried on before anything more could be said.

"Just head back to the lab," Iwaizumi sighed, not bothering to argue with Oikawa. "We are done with the field research for the day."

"Oh, are you here on work?" Sugawara asked Iwaizumi.

"What else would we be doing?" Oikawa replied with sass.

Iwaizumi purposefully ignored Oikawa. "I'm just doing a bit of research at the lab just over there."

Was that the building Yamaguchi had seen from the cliff? A research facility. The last time Yamaguchi had seen Oikawa and Iwaizumi things had ended quite poorly for him. Anxiety began to build in his stomach as he recalled Mika and the Grunts. Hopefully, whatever Oikawa and Iwaizumi were researching this time wasn't something an evil team would be after.

"It's good to see that you're doing well, Yamaguchi," Iwaizumi's voice brought Yamaguchi back to reality.

Yamaguchi gave a small start. "Y-Yeah, I'm much better now," he replied with a nervous nod.

Iwaizumi gave a small hum as he studied Yamaguchi. He looked as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it.

"So, you guys know each other?" Sugawara asked. "It really is a small world."

"We met not too long ago," Iwaizumi vaguely replied. "We crossed paths while I was researching in the field."

"This one here is a magnet for trouble," Oikawa said pointing an accusing finger at Yamaguchi. "I'd steer clear of him if I were you."

Sugawara and Kageyama looked to Yamaguchi with a mix of confusion and shock. Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink. He really wanted nothing more than to forget about almost being kidnapped.

"By the way, nice job on your last showcase," Oikawa giggled. 

Yamaguchi's cheeks went from pink to red as he felt a bit of shame. His grip on Eevee tightened. Life just wouldn't let him move past the kidnapping or his botched showcase.

"How about you fuck off, Oikawa," Kageyama snapped as he stepped between Oikawa and Yamaguchi. While Kageyama had no clue about the showcase, he didn't like the way Oikawa was addressing Yamaguchi.

Surprised, Yamaguchi gave a small gasp. His eyes landed on Kageyama who looked like he was about ready to smack the smile right off of Oikawa's smug face. The two trainers faced off. The atmosphere became tense once more.

"Well now, what do we have here?" Oikawa hummed in wicked curiosity. "I thought little Tobio didn't care about anyone?"

Kageyama gave a low grumble as his hands formed a tight fist.

"What? You want to fight?" Oikawa growled as both trainers' hands hovered over their respective Pokeballs.

"Stop it, Oikawa," Iwaizumi cut in once more, giving Oikawa's head a slap and with it the tense atmosphere dissipated once more.

"OUCH! That hurt!" Oikawa whined.

"Stop harassing Kageyama," Iwaizumi flatly replied. He then turned to the others. "Sorry for the trouble. We will get out of your hair."

"It's fine," Sugawara lied as he did his best to not be too annoyed with Oikawa.

"You guys take care and stay out of trouble," Iwaizumi said, his eyes landing a bit longer on Yamaguchi.

With that, Iwaizumi dragged Oikawa back towards the lab. The remaining three watched them as they went.

"That Oikawa can sure be draining when he gets into one of his moods," Sugawara said in a half-laugh, half-sigh.

Kageyama scowled at the spot Oikawa once stood. Yamaguchi had seen Kageyama angry but something about the way he looked at Oikawa was different. It was a look that definitely held history. While Yamaguchi felt his curiosity grow he knew it was none of his business. He honestly had enough on his plate as it was and the last thing he needed was getting involved in other people's drama.

The walk back to the camp was quiet. Kageyama was in an obviously bad mood and Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel uneasy about being in a forest where Iwaizumi was doing field research. Picking up on this, Sugawara didn't bother to force a conversation out of the two.

Once back at camp they dropped off their things in their respective cabins. When Yamaguchi and Kageyama arrived at the kitchen they were met by Noya and Sugawara who were organizing some ingredients.

"Noya here says you're just as good at cooking as you are at baking," Sugawara said after greeting the two younger trainers.

"I-I'm not that good," Yamaguchi blushed as Noya sent him a thumbs up.

"The food you gave me was some of the best," Kageyama insisted. Eevee gave a loud trill of agreement.

Far too embarrassed to speak, Yamaguchi gave a small shrug.

"We thought we'd put you in charge of meal prep," Noya proudly sang as he gave Yamaguchi's back a hard pat.

"What? No! I-I c-couldn't?" Yamaguchi sputtered, never having been in charge of anything up until this point.

"Nonsense," Sugawara laughed as he gave Yamaguchi's back another pat. "You'll do fine in charge. Besides, things like this will also help with your showcases so take advantage of it."

Yamaguchi's felt like a spotlight was on him as the other three trainers looked to him for an answer. "O-Okay. I guess," he quietly replied.

"Great! Just tell us what to do, boss!" Noya cheered.

"Today's meal is curry," Sugawara pointed out.

"I look forward to trying Yamaguchi's curry," Kageyama added.

Being in the lead like this was a first for Yamaguchi, but he would do his best not to let them down. He gave a nod before turning to the ingredients they had on hand. There was rice, berries, sausages, veggies, and spices. His grandma's curry recipe was something he had memorized and it looked like the main ingredients were all present.

"F-First we need to cut and prep the food," Yamaguchi began, feeling awkward at having to order them around. "Kageyama and Noya, why don't you wash the veggies and berries and Suga and I will cut."

"Roger!" Noya sang as Kageyama nodded.

"Let me know what size and shape you'd like everything to be cut," Sugawara smiled.

With that, the group got to work. Noya and Kageyama carefully washed the veggies and berries while Yamaguchi and Sugawara got to cutting. Some carrots, some onions, several potatoes, a few tomato berries, one pecha berry, two orange berries, and a secret ingredient Yamaguchi had stashed in his bag, half a bar of chocolate.

As Sugawara and the others finished up with the cutting, Yamaguchi carefully measured out the spices and created the perfect roux. Yamaguchi wasn't so used to making such a large portion at once, so he hoped the flavor was to his standards. They added the berries and veggies and allowed the pot to simmer.

"Wow, that smells amazing!" Noya sang as he poked his face over the large bot.

"Want to give it a taste test?" Yamaguchi asked.

"Heck yes!" Noya sang.

"Oh! Me, too!" Sugawara joined.

"And you as well, Kageyama?" Yamaguchi asked not surprised to see the quiet trainer nodded.

With that the four each took a spoonful of the roux. Stars shined in their eyes as the complex flavour of the roux danced on their tongue.

"Wowie Wow!" Noya sang, looking as if he could take flight at any moment.

"That is just fantastic," Sugawara agreed. "I was correct in putting you in charge of dinner."

Kageyama seemed to have ascended to another dimension.

"It could use a bit more tomato berries," Yamaguchi admitted. It was good, but Yamaguchi had made better curry roux before.

"It's wonderful as is but you're the boss," Sugawara sang.

With that Yamaguchi made a few small tweaks to the pot of curry before allowing it to simmer on low heat. Kageyama and Noya were tasked to clean up while Yamaguchi and Sugawara started on a small dessert. A simple sponge cake with fresh berries was something quick and easy they could make while the curry finished up.

Sugawara was tasked with cutting the berries while Yamaguchi whipped together his family's vanilla sponge cake. This recipe was one Yamaguchi could do in his sleep and also happened to be one of Tsukki's favorites. As he worked, the thought of Tsukki wouldn't leave his mind. They hadn't been apart for even 24 hours and he already missed him. He hoped Tsukki was doing well and getting along with the others at his camp.

"I'll be damned if I ever have to face off against you in any sort of cooking or baking round," Sugawara laughed as he admired Yamaguchi's smooth cake batter.

"You're just saying that," Yamaguchi blushed. He highly doubted Sugawara would ever lose to him in anything.

"I still think about those malasadas you made," Sugawara dreamily hummed. "Maybe we can make them for tomorrow's dessert. I want to eat them again."

"We could," Yamaguchi blushed.

"Hey, hold your head up higher when people compliment you," Sugawara said, then punched him in the shoulder. "You're a great baker and cook so be proud of it."

"R-Right," Yamaguchi straightened up a bit. Receiving compliments was still very new to him but he'd do his best.

Once the cake was baked, Yamaguchi and Sugawara cut it into single portion squares and got to decorating it with some whipped cream and berries. When it came to baking decoration was Yamaguchi's weak point. Sugawara shared some advice and the two plated the small cakes in no time.

It wasn't long before the curry was done and ready to be served. The four got to work with serving the curry to the rest of the camp members and before long they were all sitting down to enjoy their hard work.

Cries and moans of amazement echoed in the hall as everyone dug into the meal.

"Wow, this is the best curry I've ever tasted," Yui cried with joy.

"It's just too good," Yaku agreed as he seemed to melt on the spot

"Suga, did you four really make this?" Daichi gasped as he looked to Suga.

"Yup but the recipe was all Yamaguchi," Sugawara grinned as all eyes focused on Yamaguchi.

"We made it together," Yamaguchi insisted. "Only the recipe was mine, but we made it together," he reiterated, doing his best to both be proud of himself but also not take all the credit.

"The cake is also his recipe," Noya grinned, proud to see his protege receiving so much attention.

"The flavor is exquisite and the texture perfect. I'll need to keep my eye on you," Kiyoko calmly said as she ate the cake.

Yachi looked astonished as Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright pink. The current Kalos Queen saw him as a threat. Yamaguchi wasn't worthy.

"How am I ever going to compete with this!" Yachi gasped in worry from beside Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi wasn't sure what she meant by that.

"Tsukishima is a lucky bastard to have you as his travel companion," Kageyama scowled.

"Do you always cook every meal for that grump?" Noya asked loudly.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod. Cooking and baking was about all he could do.

"He is a lucky bastard!" Noya loudly proclaimed.

The room was filled with laughter as they enjoyed the delicious meal Yamaguchi and the others worked so hard to make. Once they were done, another group was put on clean up duty, leaving Yamaguchi free to do a bit of self-study.

He'd already decided what he was going to do tonight and most likely the rest of the camp for his self practice. He just hoped Kageyama was free to help him with it. As the members slowly drifted their own ways for the evening, Yamaguchi awkwardly sat beside Kageyama.

"Hey, I have a favor to ask of you," Yamaguchi awkwardly fidgeted as he watched Kageyama inhale his cake.

"What is it?" Kageyama asked, his mouth full of berries and cake.

"I don't have much experience in battling and Sugawara thinks getting some will help me improve staying in sync with my team," Yamaguchi began, unsure how to ask Kageyama to train him in battling.

"Sure," Kageyama nodded. "When I'm done here we can go to the battlefield and do a bit of practice," he carried on, not needing any more of an explanation from Yamaguchi.

"Really? You sure It's not too much trouble?" Yamaguchi asked, his eyes shining as he leaned into Kageyama's bubble.

"It's not like I have anything better to do," Kageyama grumbled, his cheeks pink.

"Thanks, Kageyama," Yamaguchi smiled brightly.

"Not a problem," Kageyama replied, his cheeks going from pink to red.

Once done with their meal the two headed to a battlefield in the centre of the camp. It was dark outside, but the battlefield was illuminated by lights.

"So, what Pokemon do you want to train with tonight?" Kageyama asked calmly. "We should probably focus on just one or two at a time."

"R-Right," Yamaguchi replied as he fished out one of his Pokeballs. "Riolu, come on out!" he called.

Riolu sprang out from her ball in pure excitement. When she was Kageyama her excitement only grew. She looked around for his Riolu.

"I'm going to use Riolu in my next routine," Yamaguchi explained. "So getting in sync with her first is probably the best."

Kageyama gave a nod of understanding as he fished out his own Pokeball. "Wartortle, come on out!"

What emerged from Kageyama's ball was a very serious Wartortle. It looked curiously at Riolu but didn't greet anyone outwardly.

Riolu deflated at it not being her Riolu crush.

"We are here for training, Riolu," Yamaguchi explained calmly. "You and Kageyama's Riolu can play later tonight, okay."

Riolu gave a joyful bark of agreement.

"We won't actually battle for tonight," Kageyama decided after thinking a moment. "I want to assess your skills and see where you are at. I am going to throw a few attacks at you and you try to counter them."

"R-Right!" Yamaguchi nodded.

"And Wartortle, go easy on them. This is just training," Kageyama explained.

Wartortle gave a grunt of understanding.

With that, the two got to training. Wartortle would shoot an attack at Riolu and Yamaguchi should shout a counter. The attacks started out slow and became progressively faster. The situation wasn't too stressful, so Yamaguchi and Riolu didn't do such a bad job.

Next Kageyama had Riolu throw some attacks at Wartortle to see if she and Yamaguchi could land a hit and they couldn't.

It was when the lights to the field shut off for the night that the two called it quits and headed back to their cabin.

"I noticed you tend to lose your focus when you get anxious," Kageyama bluntly pointed out.

"Y-Yeah," Yamaguchi deflated.

"I'm not too anxious myself so I may not be able to help you with it but we can still try," Kageyama admitted.

"Regardless, I still feel like I'm more in sync with Riolu after that practice so thank you, Kageyama," Yamaguchi smiled brightly.

"I didn't do anything," Kageyama grumbled in embarrassment.

Once back at their cabin Yamaguchi took a shower first. It felt good to wash off the grime of the day and the warm water relaxed his sore muscles. He already felt like he'd learned so much in just half a day. He hoped Tsukki was gaining just as much experience as he was.

While Kageyama took his shower Yamaguchi watched his Riolu, Kageyama's Riolu and Eevee play a game of tag around the room. The sight warmed his heart. Just last week he'd laugh in your face if you told him his Eevee would willingly play with his Riolu but here they were. He was proud of them both at how much they've grown.

He typed away at his Pokedex, sending a message to Tsukki to see if Tsukki would be available to chat tomorrow night. Tsukki replied surprisingly fast with his reply confirming that he would indeed be free. Yamaguchi asked how the camp was going and Tsukki insisted it was full of idiots. Reading that, Yamaguchi failed at stifling a laugh.

"What so funny?" Kageyama asked as he came out of the shower with nothing but a towel around his waist.

"Nothing," Yamaguchi insisted as he gained control over his snickering. "It's just Tsukki is all."

"Oh, him," Kageyama mumbled to himself as he grabbed his pajamas.

Yamaguchi set down his phone as he scooped Eevee up for her nightly brushing.

"I really can't thank you enough for helping me with my battling," Yamaguchi hummed constantly as Kageyama, now fully clothed, joined him on the other side of the bed.

"Like I said before, it's not a problem," Kageyama calmly insisted.

"I know, it's just, battling has been such a struggle for me," Yamaguchi sighed. "I'm not very good at it."

"Have you not really practiced much with battling?" Kageyama asked.

"Well, I have here and there a few times in Alola back when I was younger," Yamaguchi weakly admitted.

Kageyama gave a small hum as the room fell quiet. "How long have you and Tsukishima been traveling together?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"For quite a while now," Yamaguchi said as he counted the years on his hand. "Almost over seven years."

"That's a long time," Kageyama hummed. "I've only been traveling with Hinata and Yachi for about a year."

"Oh!" Yamaguchi replied. For some reason, he had expected Kageyama to have known them both for much longer.

"If you and Tsukishima have been traveling for so long, why hasn't he helped you with your battling?" Kageyama asked, his tone a bit accusatory.

Yamaguchi didn't much like the accusation in Kageyama's tone but he could see why it was there. "It's not that Tsukki wouldn't have helped me… I don't think at least," Yamaguchi awkwardly began as he tried to find the right words. "It's just that I never asked."

"And he never offered?" Kageyama followed up quickly.

"I guess not," Yamaguchi shrugged. "But Tsukki isn't the type to push, and before I wasn't too interested in battling."

Silence hung in the air between the two. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel a bit put out by the conversation. Tsukki definitely would have helped him with his battling if he had asked.

"Why did you ask me to help you with battling?" Kageyama asked, his tone holding a lot of curiosity.

"Well, I think Sugawara wanted me to ask you," Yamaguchi admitted, not missing the frown that set on Kageyama's face. "But that's not the only reason I asked you," Yamaguchi quickly followed up. "You're a strong trainer, Kageyama. And I know we don't really know one another all that well but I just felt like I could trust you to help me."

This answer seemed to relax Kageyama a bit. Kageyama was awkward and obviously not good with human interaction but he was strong. He beat both Tsukki and Korrina. He also seemed to be a threat to Oikawa. Yamaguchi hoped that Kageyama would maybe be able to share some of that strength with him.

"Well, I'll do my best to help you," Kageyama mumbled as he settled into his side of the bed.

"I really appreciate it, Kageyama," Yamaguchi insisted as he too settled into bed.

With that, the two bid each other goodnight before turning off the lights. With both their Riolu's asleep at the foot of the bed and Eevee nestled in his arms, Yamaguchi drifted quickly into a calm sleep.

Author's Note:

It so great to see Yamaguchi growing as a trainer. Will Kageyama be able to help him unlock his potential? What sort of things will Yamaguchi learn in the next few days? How will Tsukishima react to the time Yamaguchi is spending with Kageyama? How is Tsukishima's training camp? I hope Oikawa and Iwaizumi's research doesn't being any bad luck for Yamaguchi! That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

As always thank you all so much for your bookmarks, follows, kudos, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you readers. This week I've been so sick and seeing feedback from you all really lifts my spirits. Please drop a comment if you have time.

I would say more but as I said I am still feeling quite sick so I am going to say bye for now. I may not get to replying to comments for a few more days. I am also unsure if I will get the next chapter up in time next week. I will be traveling so it may be late or there may be a one week delay and I'm sorry for that. But rest assured that I already have several chapters lined up so I will be back on schedule after my trip.

See you all next chapter!


	57. Uncle Kuroo and Uncle Bokuto Give Advice

Hey all! Sorry this chapter was late by a week. I was on vacation and couldn't get it out until now. Anyways, let's take a look and see what Tsukki is up to at his battle camp!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, Chapter 57!

Uncle Kuroo and Uncle Bokuto Give Advice

This was the fourth time this week Yamaguchi had tracked Tsukishima down to hound him about going to Kalos on a new Pokemon journey. Tsukishima had no clue what came over Yamaguchi and where this crazy idea had come from! Yes, Yamaguchi had taken it quite hard when his grandfather passed. His whole demeanor and attitude changed. Did he just want to get off the island to forget about his sorrows? Tsukishima didn't know, and frankly, he had no interest in going to Kalos.

Tsukishima stood outside his parent's research tent as he greeted a very determined Yamaguchi. His stupid brother, Akiteru, had guided Yamaguchi northward to where Tsukishima had sought refuge with his mother. He went under the guise of wanting to help with her research but in reality, he just needed a break from Yamaguchi hounding him about going to Kalos. But despite his best efforts, Yamaguchi had found him.

"You know my answer, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima scowled, sick and tired of having this conversation once more.

"But Tsukki, it's been so long since we went on a journey together," Yamaguchi pressed, his tone more desperate than it had been the last time they talked.

"I don't see why I need to be part of this journey," Tsukishima stubbornly sighed.

"Tsukki, you're my best friend and I think we can both gain something by doing this," Yamaguchi insisted once more. His eyes held a determination as he looked to Tsukki.

"I won't gain anything from going to Kalos, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima pressed back. "Besides, I thought we both agreed that journies just weren't for us."

"That was so long ago," Yamaguchi argued back making sure to keep an even tone so as to not set off his best friend. "We are older now and I think it would be different this time."

"And what would be different, Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima tested, knowing he was being a bit cruel to his best friend. "You don't actually think we'd collect all the badges we'd need to compete in the league, do you? You can't even battle."

Yamaguchi looked hurt and Tsukishima instantly regretted his words.

"We wouldn't know unless we try," Yamaguchi gently replied, his eyes watering. "I don't see why you're so scared to go, Tsukki."

"I'm not scared!" Tsukishima snapped, not liking being called out like that.

"You are totally scared!" Yamaguchi replied, stronger this time, as he fought back tears.

"If you're so brave then just go to Kalos without me, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima shouted, unable to contain his frustration. "You don't need me there with you, so stop bothering me!"

"I-If I'm such a b-b-bother than m-maybe I will j-just go alone," Yamaguchi snapped as tears began to fall.

Tsukishima felt his heart break at the sight but his stubbornness won out. "Fine then, go!"

"Tsukki! You're so stupid!" Yamaguchi shouted before turning on his heel and running into the tall grass back towards town.

Tsukishima released a loud frustrated huff. Who did Yamaguchi think he was pestering him like this? Despite his frustration with Yamaguchi he couldn't help but regret making him cry.

"Damn, did you make Tadashi cry?" Akiteru asked as he came out of the tent. He gave his younger sibling a judgemental look.

"Shut up!" Tsukishima snapped as he pushed past his older brother.

The news of Yamaguchi's injury arrived at the Tsukishima's household that night. Apparently, Yamaguchi had gotten lost on his way back to town, fell and broke his leg. He had been stuck for hours before a trainer came across him. Guilt filled Tsukishima when he heard it, but he'd be damned if he let it show.

Yamaguchi was a magnet for disaster. Tsukishima should have known something like this would happen, letting Yamaguchi run off into the wilderness alone like that. Was Yamaguchi really serious about going to Kalos alone? He couldn't even get around Alola without injuring himself and getting lost, so what made him think he'd be okay in Kalos? Tsukishima would never admit it but he was genuinely worried for his best friend.

It was two days later when Tsukishima swallowed his pride and face Yamaguchi. He hadn't a choice. Yamaguchi needed somewhere to stay while his family made their rounds in their houseboat and the Tsukishima family opened their doors to him. Yamaguchi had arrived that morning to the Tsukishima houseboat and Tsukishima had stayed locked up in his room. He pretended to be asleep but when Akiteru knocked loudly on his door at 10am he couldn't pretend any longer.

Dragging his feet he made his way down the stairs to find Yamaguchi spread out on their couch reading a manga. His left lower leg was indeed wrapped in a bright green cast. Guilt ate at Tsukishima as he eyed the injury. With sad eyes, Yamaguchi looked to Tsukishima. Tsukishima's heart sank even more. Damn, why did Yamaguchi affect him so much?

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi quietly greeted as he scooted up on the couch to make room.

"I'm happy to see you're okay," Tsukishima said as he took a seat at the end of the couch. If Tsukishima wasn't so stubborn he'd apologies here and now for having fought with him.

"If you could call this okay," Yamaguchi mumbled with a small pout.

A silence hung between the two friends. The guilt and worry Tsukishima had fought to keep at bay was winning out.

"Tsukki I-" Yamaguchi started only to be cut off.

"Are you serious about Kalos?" Tsukishima asked, looking Yamaguchi in the eye.

For a moment Yamaguchi looked shocked by the question before his expression became more determined. "Of course I am," he nodded.

Tsukishima sighed. For the first time in a long time, he felt defeated. "Then I guess I have no choice but to go to Kalos, too," he mumbled, knowing he'd regret this later.

Yamaguchi gave a small start. "What? Do you really mean it!?"

Tsukishima nodded.

"Tsuuuukkiiii!" Yamaguchi cried as he sprung forward and threw himself into Tsukki's lap in what was meant to be a hug.

"What the-?" Tsukishima gasped, just barely catching Yamaguchi from falling on the floor. "Be careful! Your leg!" He scolded.

"I'm just so happy you decided to come!" Yamaguchi sobbed in joy as he wrapped his arms around Tsukki's middle. "I know you won't regret this decision."

"Yeah well if I didn't go you'd probably end up lost and starving so it's not like I have a choice," Tsukishima sighed as he allowed Yamaguchi to smother him. If Yamaguchi hadn't been with a broken leg you could bet he'd been pushed to the floor.

"Tsukki, I'm so excited," Yamaguchi carried on in loud happy sobs.

"Yeah, yeah! Just don't get any snot on my shirt," Tsukishima sighed. Tsukishima would never admit it, but he was kind of excited at the prospect of a new journey with Yamaguchi by his side.

Six months later, the two trainers found themselves together on a plane to Kalos.

~*~*~End Flashback~*~*~

Tsukishima hated like it. He didn't like the way Kageyama hung in the background anytime he and Yamaguchi would call one another. He hated the way Kageyama would look at Yamaguchi and the way the two would smile at each other. He hated how Kageyama would glance at the screen as if to say 'I have him all to myself now' but most of all, Tsukishima hated how jealous he was.

Kageyama didn't look at Yamaguchi like a friend. There was too much damn affection in his eyes. And of course, clueless Yamaguchi didn't seem to notice it. Kageyama better not make a move on him. What was he doing at the showcase training camp anyways?

This was day three of camp and the third time he had been on call with Yamaguchi. On day two they had called for a bit in the morning and at night and for the rest of the week they had decided to stick with just night time calls.

"So I don't want to tell you too much about my routine," Yamaguchi smiled from the other side of the camera. "I want it to be a surprise. How about you? How have things been?"

"Annoying, as always," Tsukishima replied overdramatically. His heart did a small flip at the sound of Yamaguchi's giggle.

"Oh Tsukki, I'm sure it's not that bad," Yamaguchi laughed, his eyes bright and shining despite being on a computer screen.

"Kuroo and Bokuto are so loud. I don't know how Kenma and Akaashi put up with them!" Tsukishima sighed. "Hinata and that Lev kid are just so dumb I can't stand talking to them."

"Oh come on, Tsukki, Hinata isn't that bad," Yamaguchi laughed.

"He is too that bad!" Tsukishima grumbled.

"Well, I hope you're at least learning something from the camp," Yamaguchi carried on, his smile still at large.

Tsukishima had indeed learned more than he'd be willing to admit. Kuroo was a great teacher despite how annoying he is. And it turned out that Bokuto, the one that had almost blasted Yamaguchi's head off a few weeks ago, was The Bokuto Kōtarō of the elite four. Sometimes Tsukishima just didn't believe it but the man was indeed skilled.

"Yeah, I guess I have learned a thing or two," Tsukishima admitted.

Yamaguchi's sweet smile grew. "Good. I can't wait to see you battle again."

Tsukishima felt his cheeks go pink. Why did Yamaguchi have to affect him this way? "Yeah, well you better work hard too. I look forward to your next showcase."

It was Yamaguchi's turn to blush now. His cheeks were bright red as he said "I won't let you down, Tsukki."

At that moment, Tsukishima would do anything to reach through the screen and caress the cheek of the trainer he had fallen hard for. He didn't think being apart from Yamaguchi would affect him this much. He hated this feeling, but at the same time he wouldn't trade it for the world.

"Well, I better get going," Tsukishima mumbled. "Kuroo wants to do a bit more battling before bed."

"Oh, right," Yamguchi replied, sounding disappointed. "Good luck and work hard, okay?"

"Yeah, you too," Tsukishima nodded, not wanting to end the call.

"Oh and Tsukki…" Yamaguchi quietly said.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"I miss you," Yamaguchi finished with the reddest cheeks Tsukki had ever seen.

Tsukishima's cheeks went just as red as Yamaguchi's words registered. Before he could even reply Yamaguchi hung up his end of the line. How dare he say something so sweet and then hang up like that. It wasn't fair leaving Tsukishima with a rushing heart.

"Oya, Oya? Did I walk in one something romantic?" Kuroo snickered from behind Tsukishima.

"Kuroo!" Tsukishima gasped, almost smacking the man in the face. "Arceus, don't sneak up on me like that."

"Did you have a nice chat with sweet little Yama?" Kuroo purred.

"That's none of your business," Tsukishima shot back.

"Oh to be young and in love," Kuroo swooned.

"Yeah, I don't know why you just don't confess to him," Bokuto added from the doorway. Beside him stood Akaashi, who shot a very disapproving look to his boyfriend.

"It's obvious that Yama likes you back so just get it over with and kiss him," Kuroo pressed making a kissing face.

"It's not that easy," Tsukishima snapped. Yes, he was well aware that Yamaguchi had more than just friendly feelings for him. How could he not know with all the blushing Yamaguchi had been doing on this journey and how clingy he could be? Tsukishima was more than aware.

"What do you mean not that easy?" Bokuto scoffed. "You like him, he likes you, so just confess."

"Bokuto," Akaashi warned disapprovingly.

"I just don't know if Yamaguchi is ready for it," Tsukishima argued back. It was true, though. They had only just started their journey, and Tsukishima didn't want to rush things. Yamaguchi was such a nervous person and so much had happened in the past few months that adding a relationship on top of it all might kill Yamaguchi.

"Nonsense," Kuroo laughed. "That kid is made of tougher stuff than people give him credit for."

"I know Yamaguchi better than anyone and if wanted to be in a relationship by now he would have told me," Tsukishiam strongly insisted. It was true. In most cases, Yamaguchi was the one to initiate things and if he wanted to be in a relationship he'd have said something by now, right?

"Maybe he is waiting for a sign from you," Bokuto pointed out. "He does know you like him back, right?"

"Yes," Tsukishima insisted. "I mean, I think he does."

"See, maybe he hasn't made a move on you because he doesn't think you like him back," Bokuto said with a decisive nod.

Could Bokuto be right? Tsukki was sure Yamaguchi had to be a least a little bit aware of his feelings. Yamaguchi always picked up on how he felt.

"Well, if I might add," Akaashi politely interrupted, addressing Tsukishima with a serious expression. "It's fine not to rush into a relationship, Tsukishima. Bokuto doesn't realize it, but I also didn't jump on dating him the moment I became aware of my own feelings."

"What? No way! The moment I realized my love for you I scooped you up in my arms and made you mine," Bokuto gasped as he scooped Akashi into his strong arms.

"Bokuto, please. Not right now," Akaashi smiled softly, but pulled away from his boyfriend. He then addressed Tsukishima once more. "It's okay to not rush things. Yamaguchi seems like a much more sensitive person compared to those two."

Tsukishima thanked Arceus for Akaashi. He was the only saving grace of this annoying camp.

"But don't wait too long, or someone else will snatch him right out from under your nose," Kuroo purred with a cheeky smile.

"Shut up," Tsukishima grumbled as Kageyama passed his mind.

"Well, we better get to the training field or we are going to run out of time to battle," Akaashi promoted before the conversation could carry on any further.

"All right!" Bokuto cheered, jumping into action.

Tsukishima hesitated a moment as he watched Bokuto and Kuroo rush out of the room. They were right, he knew he shouldn't hold off confessing to Yamaguchi too much longer. It had become quite apparent to him that Yamaguchi was growing up to be the type of person people gravitate to and if he wasn't careful, someone like Kageyama might make a move first. Lucky for Tsukishima, Kageyama was obviously an idiot when it came to matters of the heart. The dumb fool probably didn't even realize himself that he was crushing hard on Yamaguchi.

"You going to join us?" Akaashi softly asked, pulling Tsukishima from his thoughts.

"Oh, right," Tsukishima started, standing up as he did so.

"Hey, don't let those two get to you," Akaashi insisted as he looked after Bokuto and Kuroo. "They just care too much and sometimes don't know how to properly show it."

"Tell me about it," Tsukishima deadpanned. Kuroo had spent enough time around him and Yamaguchi that he could understand why he'd get involved but he wasn't sure why Bokuto, of all people, was so invested in his love life.

"But their hearts are in the right place," Akaashi smiled as he gave Tsukishima a nudge. "Don't be too upset with them."

"Yeah, yeah," Tsukishima sighed. He would never admit it, but the support he received from Bokuto, Kuroo, and Akaashi, both in battle and in love, was something he was grateful for.

With that, the two quieter trainers followed after their friends.

That night, they focused on connection with their Pokemon. Tsukishima was pretty level-headed, but it had been bluntly pointed out to him by Bokuto that he and his Pokemon weren't always on the same wavelength. It was hard for Tsukishima to open up. Even to Yamaguchi, he found it hard to fully open up but if he didn't learn to do so with his Pokemon they'd never be able to progress forward.

"The more in sync you are with your team, the quicker they will be able to react to commands," Bokuto explained. "Even a seconds delay can be the difference between a win and loss. You and your Pokemon's minds need to become one."

"Right," Tsukishima replied as he and Bagon faced off against Bokuto and his Hawlucha.

They weren't doing full-on battles tonight, more like throwing attacks at one another and going over feedback. Tsukishima had discovered that Hawlucha was Bokuto's most recently caught Pokemon but despite that, the fighting type was fast and strong. Bokuto might have come across as a fool at first glance, but he definitely was an elite four member.

"Hawlucha, use Flying Press," Bokuto commanded.

"Bagon, counter with Dragon Claw," Tsukishima shouted.

The two Pokemon clashed, but Hawlucha just barely won out this time. The two Pokemon clashed over again as the trainers sent them different commands. As time went the battle's speed increased. Bokuto was indeed an intense trainer and very in touch with his team. Tsukishima had to focus with all his energy just to keep up. It wasn't long before both trainer and Pokemon were winded from the workout.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about," Bokuto cheered in satisfaction. "You and Bagon are definitely becoming closer." His Hawlucha sent Bagon a supportive thumbs up.

Bagon gave a happy cry from the compliment while Tsukishima merely nodded. Tsukishima had to admit that he made a difference in this battle than the ones from the start of the week. His thoughts and his Pokemon's movements were becoming much smoother than before.

"That was indeed an impressive battle," Kuroo purred as he came up beside Bokuto. "I call next round with Tsukki."

"All yours my dude," Bokuto replied as he playfully bounded out.

"I'm not going to go easy on you today, Tsukki," Kuroo smiled a he called out his Zangoose.

"Don't call me Tsukki," Tsukishima flatly replied as he recalled Bagon and summoned Frogadier.

"I see that named is reserved for one person only," Kuroo teased. "How sweet."

Tsukishima scowled but couldn't find it in him to actually be angry with Kuroo. As the two trainers faced off they made and maintained eye contact. They could hear Bokuto release a loud cheer from off the field. Kuroo gave Tsukki a challenging smile and for the first time in a long time a rush of excitement coursed through Tsukki's veins. Perhaps this training camp wasn't so bad after all.

Author Notes:

Oh my! Looks like dear Tsukki is quite head over heels for his best friend. Will he be the first to confess to Yamaguchi or will someone else get to Yama first. Tsukki is going to have to keep a close eye on Kags. The battle of love is just taking off. Who will win? That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned.

This chapter was another one of those ones I had planned for a while now. The whole conversation between Tsukki and the others was something I organized for months and I am pretty pleased with the outcome. Now it's just a matter of when will Tsukki and Yama be upfront with one another. Only time can tell. Who do you think will confess first?

As always, thank you all so much for the likes, follows, kudos, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers so please drop a comment or review doen below if you have time.

The reason this chapter was so late last weekend was because I took a weekend trip to Tokyo to see the Haikyu! Stage play. It was utterly amazing and seeing the way both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima were portrayed on the stage has influenced me a bit. We will see how it drive their growth in this fic. I don't want to give too much away about the stage play but if you ever get a chance to see it I say go for it. It's worth the ticket price.

Expect chapter 58 sometime later this weekend. It too is basically ready to be posted as well so keep an eye out for it :)

Anyways, that is all for now. See you next chapter!


	58. Aura Training

Hey all! So like I said here is chapter 58. Think of two chapters in one weekend as a sorry for missing last weekend and a way to celebrate Yamaguchi's Birthday today (the day I am posting this chapter is Yamaguchi's birthday to those reading this in the future). Also we can celebrate the release of the New Pokemon game due to come out on Friday (11/15)! Who else is excited! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 58!

Aura Training

Yamaguchi would be a liar if he said he didn't miss Tsukki every moment of every day. The lack of Tsukki's presence was always on Yamaguchi's mind. Despite this, most days were so busy and packed with things to do, he rarely ever had much time to dwell on these feelings.

On their first full day, they had spent the morning learning about different fashions and all sorts of tips on how to make fast and easy pieces for showcases that still looked stunning. Yachi had the perfect touch for making such adorable outfits, and Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel jealous. Matching colors and patterns just wasn't his strong point, but he made sure to take as many notes as he could.

In the afternoon he and his group practiced more syncing with their Pokemon as well as constructing their own individual routines. Sugawara really was a wealth of showcase experience when it came to building solid moves in a routine. Yamaguchi counted himself lucky to have him in his training group.

At night Yamaguchi would sneak away with Kageyama to get some battle practice in. It was hard at first but Kageyama was more patient than Yamaguchi had expected him to be. Yamaguchi definitely felt his connection with Riolu and the rest of his Pokemon grow as he used them in battle.

Yamaguchi would then end the day with a short chat with Tsukki. It was the best part of the day for him. He loved to tell Tsukki all that he learned and hear how things were going for Tsukki. Even though Tsukki said everyone was annoying, Yamaguchi could tell that Tsukki was having a good time. It made him happy to know that they were both gaining something from these training camps.

The days went on similar to this. In the morning they would focus on round one events and in the afternoon work on their routines and in the evening do as they wished. The days were busy and every moment was filled with things to do. It was exhausting but exhilarating at the same time.

It was now day three and Yamaguchi found himself serving dinner to some very hungry trainers. Stars shone in the eyes of everybody in the cafeteria, and they excitedly murmured about the night's dinner. Every dinner up until then had been met with nothing but praise. Yamaguchi found himself blushing every time someone gushed over his recipes.

"Wow! I wonder if Yamaguchi's cream stew is as good as his curry was," Yui sang as she took her plate of food from Yamaguchi.

"It's not just my stew," Yamaguchi insisted, failing to fight back his blush. "We all worked together making it."

"But it is your recipe," Noya teased as he gave Yamaguchi a playful nudge.

Yui giggled in agreement before taking her seat.

It wasn't long before everyone was seated and digging into their plates. Yamaguchi found himself in the company of Daichi, Sugawara, and Kageyama for dinner tonight. Since the start of the camp he and Kageyama spent a fair amount of time together. He wasn't really sure why Kageyama was so attached to him, but Yamaguchi figured it was probably due to their age similarities or something. He really didn't mind either way, since he found Kageyama to be surprisingly nice company.

"So, Yamaguchi," Sugawara began through his mouthful of rice and stew. "You said your family owns a bakery, right. But you also have all of these amazing recipes. Do you guys also own a restaurant or something?"

"Well, I guess you can say we so but not really?" Yamaguchi mumbled, taking full notice of the confused looks he was receiving from the others at the table. "Well, my grandfather used to run his own restaurant. When he retired, my aunt and uncle took over the restaurant and my grandfather helped out more at the bakery," he explained.

"Wow, so you come from a family of bakers and chefs," Sugawara hummed. "No wonder your cooking is so top-notch."

With a small blush, Yamaguchi gave a shrug.

"Lucky for us too," Daichi said with a big smile. "Now we get to benefit from all these amazing meals."

"Tsukishima is a lucky bastard," Kageyama mumbled.

"I'll make sure the rest of the meals this week are just as good," Yamaguchi smiled brightly despite his embarrassment.

It wasn't long before dinner was over and Yamagucih found himself alone with Kageyama on the battlefield. For the first time ever, Yamaguchi felt a bit excited about battle training. Yesterday had gone pretty well and he was feeling more in sync with his team.

"So, is there anything in particular you'd like to start with?" Kageyama asked as the two settled on the field.

"Actually there is one thing," Yamaguchi admitted. "A while back, Riolu used an Aura Sphere so I'd like to try to strengthen the move for my upcoming routine."

Kageyama paused as he looked to Yamaguchi like he was crazy. "Riolu can't learn Aura Sphere!"

"That's what Tsukki said but Riolu used it a while back," Yamaguchi admitted earnestly.

Kageyama sent an unconvinced look to Yamaguchi.

"It's true!" Yamguchi whined. "Right, Riolu?"

Riolu gave a happy bark of agreement but whether she understood what he asked was still up for debate.

"Maybe it was a focus punch you mistook for an Aura Sphere," Kegayama bluntly suggested.

Yamaguchi gave an offended gasp. "Can you believe it, Riolu? He doesn't believe me!"

Riolu replied with a small whine.

"We will just have to show him!" Yamaguchi insisted. "Riolu, use Aura Sphere."

Riolu gave a small bark before putting her paws together and focusing her energy. A small ball of light began to build between her paws as she growled with focus. Kageyama gasped in amazement as Yamaguchi gave a small cheer. Before the two trainers knew what was what the small ball of light fizzled out as Riolu gave a confused growl.

Both trainers stared at Riolu. Kageyama still looked amazed, despite the attack not taking full form, but Yamaguchi was concerned. Why hadn't it worked?

"Riolu, are you okay?" Yamaguchi asked as he bent down beside her. Riolu was just as confused as Yamaguchi.

"She really did almost used Aura Sphere," Kageyama said once he got over his initial shock. "I thought only Lucarios could learn that move."

"But why didn't it work?" Yamaguchi asked, looking to Kageyama.

Kageyama took a moment to consider the question. "Well, it's probably an advanced move for a Riolu to learn since they normally can't. Is it a new move for her? How often have you seen her use it?"

"I've only seen her use it once," Yamaguchi admitted.

"So it's relatively new for her and an advanced move," Kageyama hummed. "She probably just need to practice it more until it becomes second nature to her like her other moves."

"Oh," Yamaguchi replied quietly. He hadn't even considered that.

"Is it really something you want to use in your next routine?" Kageyama asked.

Yamaguchi considered for a moment before answering "Yes, if I can help it."

"Than perhaps we can focus on buffering up that move the next few nights between battle training," Kageyama replied, he seemed genuinely interested.

"You wouldn't mind that?" Yamaguchi asked, not wanting to bother Kageyama even more.

"I'd love to see a Riolu use a full-fledged Aura Sphere," Kageyama admitted, his eyes shining with rare excitement.

"Then how should we start the training?" Yamaguchi asked with one of his award-winning smiles.

Kageyama thought for a long moment. "I think the best thing for her to do is to focus her energy into that aura ball for now."

"Did you hear that, Riolu?" Yamaguchi said with a nod to the small Pokemon.

Riolu replied with a cheerful bark. With that, the three got busy with Riolu gathering aura energy best she could. The small blue Pokemon focused on the small balls of aura she'd collected only for it to dissipate.

"How long do you think it will take before she gets the hang of it?" Yamaguchi asked after a good thirty minutes passed.

"It's hard to say, but if she keeps practicing, we're bound to see results," Kageyama replied. "In the meantime, you and I should do a bit more battle training before bedtime."

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi nodded, unsure if leaving Riolu to collect energy alone could be fine.

"She will be fine on her own for a little bit," Kageyama spoke up, most likely reading the uncertainty on Yamaguchi's face.

"R-Right," Yamaguchi nodded, following Kageyama to center battlefield.

With that the two trainers began a bit of battle training. Yamaguchi decided giving Eevee a little training wouldn't hurt, and to his surprise she was quite compliant to the idea. Old Eevee would have refused, but she had grown up so quickly recently.

It was when the battlefield lights turned off for the night that the two headed back to their cabin. Riolu's aura ball hadn't grown much and she looked visibly exhausted yet determined. Eevee had enjoyed the battle training against Kageyama's Golbat. It was refreshing to see her get into battling and encouraged Yamaguchi to warm up to it even more.

Both trainers took turns in the shower that night, Yamaguchi going first. By the time Kageyama came out of the shower, he wasn't too surprised to find Yamaguchi fast asleep on his side of the bed. For some reason Yamaguchi's sleeping face calmed him quite a bit. He didn't dwell on the feeling, but he had to admit that he quite enjoyed Yamaguchi's company.

Yamaguchi woke early the next morning to his alarm. He had decided that getting a bit of Aura training practice in before breakfast would be good if he wanted to use the move for his newest routine. He was happy to find that Riolu was more than happy to comply. She even seemed excited by the idea.

Yamaguchi was not a morning person, so with his eyes barely open he changed out of his pajamas and headed outside the cabin to do a bit of practicing. Kageyama barley rolled over in bed as Yamaguchi, who held a still-sleeping Eevee, and Riolu headed outside.

It was a bit cold outside and fog hung in the air that had most likely blown in from the sea. The crisp morning helped to sober Yamaguchi up a bit. Alola was almost always warm, so it always caught him off guard how cold mornings and nights could be in Kalos despite the day being so hot.

He didn't waste much time working with Riolu and her training. He was happy to find that the orb of aura looked bigger than the night before and she was able to maintain it for a bit longer.

"Wow, look at that," Yamaguchi praised as he gave Riolu's small head a pat. "You've improved so much in such a short time."

Riolu gave a joyful bark at the praise leaning into Yamaguchi's hand as she did so. The two repeated the act over and over. Yamaguchi would encourage and praise her each time she successfully created a ball of Aura. By the time Kageyama came out to tell them to get ready for breakfast, the sun was fully up, the fog had dissipated and Riolu's Aura sphere had improved.

Breakfast flew by quickly and the next thing Yamaguchi knew, they were on to their day's training. Their theme was baking, and Yamaguchi had been harassed by Sugawara until he agreed to help lead the season. With Swirlix and Eevee by his side, Yamaguchi did his best to support Sugawara. Yamaguchi had only really participated in one competition that focused on baking, but everyone seemed to have high hopes in his abilities. Though Yamaguchi had only ever baked in one official showcase he found that maybe he was a wealth of knowledge when it came to the kitchen.

"I can never get my meringue to stay fluffy," Yui complained as she frowned a bowl filled with sorry-looking meringue.

"Let me take a look," Yamaguchi hummed as he placed his hand on the side of the bowl. He noticed it was still quite cold. "It's best to let the egg get to room temperature before mixing up a meringue."

"Room temperature? I knew I was forgetting something," Yui sighed.

Yamaguchi examined the content in the bowl a bit more. "Adding a bit of cream of tartar will also help with its stability," he added.

"Cream of tartar will help with that?" Yui hummed. "Thanks or the advice, Yamaguchi," she said with a friendly smile.

"Hey, Yamaguchi, do you have any clue why my cookies always come out so tough?" Yaku frowned, waving Yamaguchi over before anyone else could.

"Let me take a look," Yamaguchi hummed, making his way to the other side of the room to where Yaku was working on a batch of sugar cookies.

"You might be overworking the dough," Yamaguchi suspected. "It's a common problem with cookies you need to roll out. I'd suggest trying your best to rolly it out as few times as possible."

"Baking is too sensitive," Yaku sighed to himself as he looked to his dough in disappointment. "Thanks for the advice, Yamaguchi."

Yamaguchi carried on doing his best to help others with their creation as he made a fresh batch of oran berry malasadas. It was a rather fun morning session, and by the end of it they found themselves with more desserts then they knew what to do with.

Yamaguchi would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised to find that everyone wanted a try of his malasadas. What he was surprised about was everyone demanding he try their dishes and give feedback. Even Kiyoko asked for him to try her cupcakes and despite them being practically perfect, she demanded his honest feedback. He did his best to help everyone improve their recipes and once it was all over and they were heading to the cafeteria for lunch, Yamaguchi found himself too full to eat another bite.

After lunch, Yamaguchi and his group followed Sugawara to their normal practice area on the cliff. They started with a bit of sync training before getting into their own individual routines. Riolu was more than excited to begin practicing their dance. Yamaguchi had thought long and hard about what they would do and if Riolu got her Aura Sphere down they were bound to give an amazing show.

Sugawara spent the majority of this time helping the others in his group with their routines. Throughout most of the camp, Sugawara had been doing a whole lot of support. Yamaguchi wasn't even sure if he was making a new routine of his own with all the help he was giving Yui and himself.

"You and Riolu are much more in tune with one another," Sugawara said with a bright smile. "I take it the training with Kageyama has been helping you two become more in sync?"

"Yeah, Kageyama has been so kind to help me every night with battle practice," Yamaguchi said sending Kageyama a bright smile.

Kageyama's cheeks went red as he quickly looked away.

"I knew bringing him along would be for the better," Sugawara laughed as he studied the flustered trainer.

"Yeah, Kageyama has been nothing but helpful," Yamaguchi agreed. He still had no clue why Kageyama was hanging around the showcase training camp but he had a feeling he was probably somehow convinced to do so by Sugawara. The older trainer was very charismatic.

By the time Yamaguchi had to head back to camp to start on dinner he was exhausted. He and Riolu had gone all out this afternoon in their training and he could feel it in his arms and legs. He hoped Riolu would still have the energy for Aura Sphere training tonight.

That night Yamaguchi and others made a large helping of spaghetti for dinner and despite having been so full at lunch by the time dinner was prepared, Yamaguchi was starving. Once again, their meal was met with nothing but praise. It filled Yamaguchi with so much joy to see everyone enjoying the meal and reminded him of when he and his family would see the joy on people's faces when eating their baked goods back in Alola. He couldn't help but feel a bit of homesickness by the end of dinner.

"Remember when I told you that Riolu could use Aura Sphere?" Yamaguchi asked as he talked with Tsukki. He gave a small giggle as Tsukki send him a confused look from the other side of the screen.

"What about it?" Tsukishima replied.

"Well, Kageyama has been helping us with buffering up the move so that Riolu can use it more easily," Yamaguchi couldn't hide his smile as he told Tsukki the news. "And in just a day Riolu is doing so much better with the move."

Tsukishima's reaction was odd. He looked both happy for Yamaguchi and for some reason a bit upset. "Oh, that's great," he replied flatly.

Yamaguchi paused for a moment, catching what he thought to be worry in Tsukki's voice. "Is something the matter, Tsukki?" He asked, leaning in close to the screen to try and get a better look at his best friend.

"I'm fine," Tsukishima replied a bit too fast. "Just tired is all," he brushed off. In reality, he wasn't pleased to hear about all the time Kageyama was spending with Yamaguchi. Who did that asshole think he was?

"You know, you can tell me if something is wrong, Tsukki," Yamaguchi pressed. It was obvious Tsukki was unhappy.

Tsukishima cursed himself for causing Yamaguchi to worry when he was obviously so excited. "I'm fine, Yamaguchi," He sternly insisted. "Just tired from all the battling I've been doing. Hinata can be too loud sometimes." It was true.

"If you say so," Yamaguchi replied, unconvinced.

"Why don't you tell me more about that Aura Sphere," Tsukishima followed up quickly, showing more interest now.

"Oh, right! Well, Riolu can't use it on command quite yet so we are training on collecting a ball of aura at the moment," Yamaguchi explained, his tone excited once more.

Tsukishima hummed and listened as Yamaguchi explained the situation in a very animated manner. He couldn't hide his small smile as he enjoyed the sound of his best friend's voice. He never would have imagined that he'd miss Yamaguchi's yammering this much.

"So, how have things been going on your end, Tsukki?" Yamaguchi asked as he relaxed in his seat. He looked to Tsukki with shining admiration, excited to see how his growth was coming along.

"It's been okay, I guess," Tsukishima shrugged but Yamaguchi could tell that things were going much more than okay. Tsukishima couldn't hide the twinkle in his eye.

"Just okay, huh?" Yamaguchi teased, ready to call Tsukki out if he didn't go into more detail.

"Yeah, we've just been battling," Tsukshima shrugged. "Practicing some new move and offensive and defensive techniques," he listed playing it all off like it was no big deal.

"Well, I can't wait to see you battle when we reunite," Yamaguchi hummed as Tsukki's even voice relaxed him. "It's been great here but I miss you, Tsukki."

"It's been loud here and I miss you cooking," Tsukishima replied as he failed to hide his blush.

"Is my cooking all you miss?" Yamaguchi gasped, unable to hide a giggle. "I'm more than just your personal chef, you know."

"I miss other things, too," Tsukishima defended but refused to go into detail.

"Oh yeah, then name something else other than my cooking," Yamaguchi challenged, not missing a chance to get the upper hand on Tsukki.

Tsukishima's cheeks went visibly red and it gave Yamaguchi life. He never thought Tsukki could be so cute. The two held eye contact over the computer and Yamaguchi felt his cheeks to pink as Tsukki examined him. Tsukki's blush only deepened as a look of determination settled in his eyes.

"Well, if you must know, I also miss your bright smi-" Tsukishima began.

"Hey, Yamaguchi are we going to train tonight?" Kageyama cut in, leaning over Yamaguchi's shoulder.

"Kageyama!" Yamaguchi startled, jumping back a bit. "Oh, sorry I almost forgot you were waiting."

"It's not a big deal," Kageyama said with a nod before looking into the screen to find a very angry Tsukki. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

If Tsukishima could reach through the screen he would have smacked Kageyama's stupid face. He didn't bother to reply to the question, choosing instead to just scowl at Kageyama.

"N-No, we were just chatting," Yamaguchi replied with a dusty pink blush.

"Well, if we wait too long we won't have much time to train," Kageyama said, looking from Yamaguchi to the screen. "Sorry to take him away from you, but we wouldn't want to waste training time."

A vein almost popped out of Tsukishima's forehead as he wished for nothing more than to send his clenched fist right into Kageyama's face. He did his best to keep his cool, but damn did he feel his temper rising.

"It's not a problem," Tsukishima shrugged, keeping his voice as even as he can. "Soon enough Yamaguchi and I will be back on the road together, just the two of us."

It was Kageyama's turn to frown. The two had a glare off through the computer, neither giving in as they did so. Yamaguchi had no clue what was going on between the two, nor did he have any clue what they were talking about.

"Well, I better let you go, Tsukki," Yamaguchi cut in nervously, pushing Kageyama back a bit so he could properly see Tsukki again. "I will call you around this time tomorrow night."

"Good luck with your training," Tsukishima nodded, doing his best to calm himself.

"I can't wait to show you everything we've learned when we meet again," Yamaguchi beamed.

"I look forward to it," Tsukishima replied, glancing at Kageyama for only a moment.

"Miss you," Yamaguchi blushed, this time not hanging up on Tsukki.

"Miss you too," Tsukisima cooly replied, enjoying how flustered it made Yamaguchi. He couldn't help but also enjoy the scowl on Kageyama's face.

"Bye, Tsukki."

"Bye, Yamaguchi."

And with that, the screen went blank.

"Sorry to make you wait, Kageyama," Yamaguchi hummed as he fought the fluttering in his heart.

"Not a problem," Kageyama insisted with a small pout.

"You okay, Kageyama?" Yamaguchi asked, not missing his scowl.

"I'm fine," he quickly replied, scowling as nothing. "Let's just get to the battlefield."

Yamaguchi gave a small nod. He knew Tsukki and Kegeyama didn't really get on well but he couldn't help but wonder what about that exchange had upset Kageyama so much.

Author's Notes:

Oh my! Two men fighting for the affection of our dear Yamaguchi. Could you blame them? Who wouldn't fall for sweet Yamaguchi. I wonder how this rivalry will develop? Will Riolu be able to learn Aura Sphere in time for Yamaguchi's next Routine? Is Tsukki learning enough to win him his next badge? That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned.

As always thank you all so much for the bookmarks, follows, kudos, reviews, and comments. I love to hear from you guys so please drop a comment or review if you have a chance. Don't be shy. I'm a kind person :P

I do hope you guys are enjoying the training camp. I hope they aren't too boring. I worry a bit that this part of the fic drags so sorry if that happens. I am having fun writing them a part for a bit interacting with other characters. I also miss them being together. I wonder if ether Yamaguchi or Tsukishima will get up to any shenanigans before they reunite. We will just have to see :)

Yeah so next week is the drop of the new Pokemon game for Switch. I preordered Shield. Is anyone else going to play it? If so we should switch friend codes so we can raid battle together and trade or whatever. Let me know here or on Tumblr ( pastaprincess) if you are interested in doing so. I am so ready for this game. I've wanted a home console Pokemon game since I was 8 years old playing Silver on a game boy color! That dream is finally coming true but I am most likely going to be playing Shield on handheld anyways since I don't have a TV at the moment. Hahaha it's still the thought that counts.

As always, despite the new game coming out, next week's chapter should come out on time as long as I don't fall super ill or anything. I promise to put the game down long enough to post the chapter so keep an eye out for it.

See you all next chapter.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YAMAGUCHI TADASHI!


	59. Double Battles

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't post last week. I spent what little free time I had jumping into the new Pokemon game. I have shield btw. If anyone wants to raid battle or trade I will leave my friend code at the end of the chapter. I promise not to let this game sidetrack me again hahaha.

I hope you guys are ready to see what Tsukishima has been up to as well. I wonder what he's learned and gained from his time at battle camp. Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 59!

Double Battles

Tsukishima was more than happy to hear that Yamaguchi and his team were gaining so much experience in such a short amount of time. It truly brought him relief to see the smile on Yamaguchi's face when he talked about all he had learned. Despite all that he couldn't forget that Kageyama, of all people, was spending every moment with him. Talking with Yamaguchi, eating Yamaguchi's cooking, seeing Yamaguchi grow in person and worst of all teaching Yamaguchi how to get better at battling. What he hated most of it all was that Kageyama was actually helping Yamaguchi and in doing so it made it hard for Tsukishima to be aggressive towards him.

Was that asshole using Yamaguchi to get on his good side or did Kageyama actually like Yamaguchi? Tsukishima would like to think that Kageyama had ulterior motives, but it was obvious that Kageyama didn't have enough people sense to even know how to use someone like that. Most likely, Kageyama really did have a thing for Yamaguchi. Hopefully, Kageyama himself hadn't figured this out yet. It was hard to tell with that idiot.

Despite his worries over his stupid feelings, Tsukishima barely had any time to think about it during the day. Kuroo and Bokuto held a tight schedule, giving him very little time to think of anything other than battling.

"For today we are going to do double battles," Kuroo explained as they started their morning training. "It's not as common to find yourself in a double battle but there's always a chance you may have to battle alongside someone else."

"Oh! Do we get to choose who we battle with?" Lev asked, raising his freakishly long arm high into the air.

"Sorry, buddy, but we already decided the teams," Kuroo said with a shake of his head.

Lev didn't seem too upset about this news, but Tsukishima was another story. He scowled at Kuroo upon hearing this. He better not have been paired up with Hinata.

"Well, better not waste any more time," Kuroo sighed like an old man. "Kenma will inform you of who your partner is."

Tsukishima hated teamwork. He hated working with others and having to rely on them. The last thing he needed to do was doing team battles with someone he barely knows. He gave a small start as Hinata shouted in joy, giving his teammate, Bokuto, a high five. Tsukishima felt relieved knowing he wouldn't have to partner with either of them.

"Your partner will be Kuroo," Kenma said to Tsukishima, not looking him in the eye and moving on to the next person before Tsukishima could even react.

"What?" Tsukishima spat, but his outburst was blatantly ignored by Kenma as he walked to the next trainer.

"Well, lucky us, right partner?" Kuroo sang as he attempted to sling an arm around Tsukishima.

"Don't touch me!" Tsukishima snapped, ducking away. "You set this up, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kuroo replied in innocence, ignoring Tsukishima's glare. "Kenma used his computer to randomly sort us all."

For some reason Tsukishima didn't believe him but he supposed battling alongside Kuroo had to be better than battling alongside Hinata. He glared at Kuroo nonetheless.

"No getting too buddy-buddy with me," Tsukishima grumbled as he decided it would be better not to complain too much.

"Tsukki is playing hard to get?" Kuroo teased.

Tsukishima let loose an unhappy grumble but didn't take the bait.

With that, the pairs were matched with an opponent pair and sent to the battlefields. Tsukishima and Kuroo's first opponents were the annoying Lev guy and some dude named Inuoka. Since day one Tsukishima had noticed that the two were close, probably already good friends but that didn't matter, because Tsukishima still planned to drag them through the mud.

Tsukishima called forth Bagon while Kuroo sent out his Zangoose. On the other end, Lev sent out a male Pyroar while Inuoka summoned his Mightyena. The battle commenced and it ended up being more difficult than Tsukishima had originally suspected. Tsukishima hadn't done too much pair battling, and syncing with your teammate was easier said than done. Kuroo's battle style was more assertive than Tsukishima's calculated battling style but the one thing the two had in common was the enjoyment of confusing and frustrating the opponent.

Despite it being their first time battling as a team, they somehow won the match.

"Not bad, Tsukki," Kuroo said with a large smile.

Tsukishima replied with a quiet shrug as he gave Bagon a small pat on the head for his efforts.

"Aw man! I can't believe we lost," Inuoka sighed.

"I just don't know where we went wrong," Lev pouted.

"You two did a great job staying in sync with one another, but we were just that much faster," Kuroo shrugged.

Tsukishima couldn't help but send the two a smug smile.

"And Tsukki and I are already basically best friends, so It'd be impossible to beat us," Kuroo added as he slung his arm around Tsukki's shoulder.

"Get off of me," Tsukishima grumbled as he shrugged Kuroo away.

Their next opponents were Akaashi and Kenma. Tsukishima and Kuroo stuck with their two Pokemon, and they found themselves up against Kenma's Litten and Akaashi's Galarian Ponyta. While Akaashi and Kenma were not collecting badges for the league, they were still tough opponents. They both battled smart and if it weren't for Kuroo's power, Tsukishima had a feeling they may not have won in the end.

Tsukishima and Kuroo battled against several more opponents before lunch rolled around. Most of the battles were pretty easy. Tsukishima would never admit it aloud but Kuroo was a very strong trainer. He figured the only person at the camp that had any hope of beating Kuroo was probably Bokuto. Just like Tsukishima and Kuroo, Hinata and Bokuto had yet to lose any battles.

The group then broke for lunch and to allow their Pokemon a rest before they carried on. Kuroo informed everyone that they would be staying with the same partner for the second half of the day. Tsukishima normally ate lunch in silence but rarely ever alone, Kuroo made sure of that. This afternoon, like most, he found himself in the company of Kuroo, Bokuto, and Hinata.

"We are going to beat you two into the ground once lunch is over," Bokuto declared as he and Hinata exchanged a high five.

"Well, we are not going to make it that easy for you two to win," Kuroo shot back, giving Tsukki a nudge.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. He just couldn't understand how these bozos could get so excited over battling. He just didn't get it.

"Hey, why are you always for frowny, Tsukishima?" Hinata asked. "Don't you know how to have fun?"

Tsukishima felt a vein pop in his head as glared at Hinata. What a stupid question. "Babbling like an idiot isn't something I call fun," he shot back.

"I'm not an idiot," Hinata snapped from across the table.

"Hey, no fighting at the table," Kuroo broke in, putting his arm between the two.

The two younger trainers grumbled but dropped the argument there.

Once lunch was over the group headed back to the battlefields. Tsukishima and Kuroo battled a few more trainers before they found themselves up against Bokuto and Hinata once more. Both Hinata and Bokuto looked thrilled to finally be up against Tsukishima and Kuroo. Kuroo also looked excited, but Tsukishima, on the other hand, just didn't see why he should. It was just another battle.

"I hope you're ready to learn a lesson, Tsukishima!" Hinata should from where he stood.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in learning from the school of stupid," Tsukishima retorted with an eye roll.

"These two just don't let up, do they," Bokuto laughed at how feisty Hinata had become.

With that the trainers call forth their Pokemon. Tsukishima used his Bagon once more, Hinata called out his Heracross, Bokuto summoned his Aegislash, and Kuroo used a Pokemon Tsukishima had yet to see him use, Absol. Seeing Kuroo's dark type Pokemon set Tsukishima in a bad mood, and from across the field Tsukishima could see Hinata react in a very similar way. Tsukishima had had his ass handed to him not too long ago by Kageyama's Absol. From the looks of it, the Absol reminded Hinata of Kageyama as well.

"We are definitely not going to lose this!" Hinata growled to Bokuto, his whole demeanor much more serious.

"Didn't plan on it," Bokuto replied, happy to see Hinata get so serious.

Thinking about Kageyama was the last thing Tsukishima needed right now. That asshole and his Absol were probably smoosing with Yamaguchi at that exact moment, but Kuroo's Absol was a different Pokemon and his ally today.

In a flash, the battle began. The four trainers called out their attacks. Hinata's Heracross may not have been strong, but it was fast and Bokuto's Aegislash was like a brick wall. Despite this Kuroo and Tsukishima were able to hold their own. Bagon had gained much more experience in the past few days and he was able to keep up with Hinata's fast Heracross. Kuroo's Absol was no pushover either. Absol was almost an even match for Bokuto's Aegislash.

The battle was intense and went on much longer than their last few battles. Tsukishima could tell that Bagon was getting tired but was stubbornly not giving in and in an odd way, Tsukishima himself felt the need to push forward.

"Bagon, use Dragon Claw on Heracross!" Tsukishima commanded, wanting nothing more than to knock out Hinata's Pokemon first.

"Counter with Brick Break, Heracross," Hinata quickly countered.

The two Pokemon clashed, and as they did so Kuroo's Absol defended Bagon against Aegislash with a well-aimed Razor Wind.

Heracross's Brick Break had landed a direct his on Bagon's hard head. The small dragon stepped back as it saw double. It swayed and Tsukishima felt a sudden rush of dread. He would be damned to be the first one to go down in this battle.

"Hang in there, Bagon!" Tsukishima shouted. He normally wasn't one to cheer loudly but at the moment he was acting on instinct.

"Heracross, Brick Break, one more time," Hinata shouted with triumph. "Let's knock that jerk and his Pokemon out!"

"Bagon, use Dragon Breath!" Tsukishima countered.

Once again Kuroo's Absol defended Bagon with a quick Sucker Punch against Aegislash. The two older trainers could feel the fire coming off the younger trainers as neither gave in.

Heracross took the Dragon Breath head-on, pushing through it and landing a direct hit on Bagon. Bagon fell back with a loud cry as Heracross staggered back but didn't fall. Bagon winced as he tried to stand once more.

"Bagon!" Tsukishima shouted, not ready to give in.

It was in that moment that Bagon gave out a loud cry as he glowed a bright white. Tsukishima knew what this meant and couldn't help but send Hinata a cocky smile from across the field. The moment the light dissipated, standing where Bagon had once been was now a Shelgon, ready to fight.

"All right!" Bokuto shouted, clearly pumped by the mid-battle evolution.

"Not bad," Kuroo hummed, happy to see Bagon grow in such a short amount of time.

"No way! Not fair!" Hinata shouted.

"Sheldon, Dragon Claw," Tsukishima commanded, with a cocky grin.

Heracross gave a loud cry as the Sheldon sent him flying. Tsukishima couldn't help but smile at the frustration he saw on Hinata's face. Like hell was he going to lose to Hinata.

The battle was tough, and Hinata was the first to be knocked out followed by Tsukishima. By the end of the battle Absol was just barely the last one standing making Tsukishima and Kuroo the winners. If it hadn't been for Absol's type advantage against Aegislash, Tsukishima wasn't so sure they would have won.

"Damn! I can't believe we lost that one," Bokuto shouted from the other side of the battlefield.

"It's all my fault!" Hinata cried dramatically. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Bokuto seemed shocked my Hinata's reaction while Tsukishima just found it annoying.

"That was a pretty amazing battle," Kuroo hummed from beside Tsukishima. "It's always exciting when your Pokemon evolves in the middle of a good battle."

Tsukishima gave a small shrug, but not much more. He really didn't know what the fuss was all about. It was just a battle, though he was proud of Sheldon.

"It's moments like this that keep us trainers going!" Bokuto agreed once he'd calmed Hinata down.

"I don't get why you two are so excited over all this," Tsukishima mumbled. He didn't understand how Bokuto and Kuroo could be so excited over some small practice battle. It's not like it held any significance for their futures as trainers yet they had been excited all day.

"Isn't it obvious?" Bokuto said with a bright smile. "We're just in love with Pokemon battles."

"Win or lose, there is just something so exciting about it all," Kuroo agreed.

Shooting the two a skeptical look, Tsukishima still didn't get it. "In love with Pokemon battles, even when you lose?"

"While it's not fun to lose there is just something so amazing about the connections made between trainers and Pokemon," Kuroo explained. "The way two creatures work together to grow and become stronger."

"And while it might seem silly to you now, if you keep on battling there will be a day when you realize what makes Pokemon battles so wonderful. Regardless of whether you win or lose that connection you make with your Pokemon is like magic," Bokuto finished with a spark to his aura.

Both trainers spoke with so much passion that Tsukishima couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine. Had he ever felt this connection with a Pokemon before? Had that been why Bagon evolved? Tsukishima was just left to wonder.

The rest of the training that day carried on, and by the end of it Tsukishima felt exhausted. He had learned a lot about battling alongside Kuroo all day. The older trainer was indeed experienced, even able to take on an elite four member, Bokuto, without flinching. He even took time between each battle that day to give Tsukishima advice for the next battle and though Tsukishima could be stubborn he chose to take his advice and it more often than not worked out better for him. Perhaps Kuroo wasn't as much of a pain as Tsukishima had originally seen him as.

That night Tsukishima found himself talking with Yamaguchi once more. Fortunately for him, Kageyama was nowhere in sight. Today has been a pretty good day and the last thing he wanted was it to be spoiled by that asshole.

"Wow! So Bagon evolved," Yamaguchi gushed with stars in his eyes. "It's so great to see you and your team really are growing."

"It's no big deal, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima shrugged though he did flush with a bit of pride for Sheldon.

"It really is amazing Tsukki," Yamaguchi carried on brightly. "I'm so proud of you two."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi giggled.

Tsukishima felt his heart do a flip at Yamaguchi's giddy laugh. He missed having Yamaguchi close by but they only had a few more days of camp.

"Riolu is almost able to create a full on Aura Sphere," Yamaguchi carried on with his bright smile. "I hope that by the time you and I meet again in a few days she'll have the move down."

"I look forward to seeing it," Tsukishima quietly replied, savoring the joy he saw upon his best friend's face.

"Well, I better get going. I want to make sure I get enough practice in," Yamaguchi sighed, his eyes looking longingly through the screen at Tsukki.

"We will see each other in a few days," Tsukishima nodded, able to read Yamaguchi like a book.

Despite them both knowing that, the distance was still painful.

"I miss you, Tsukki," Yamguchi said, not as flusted as he had been on the first day of admitting it.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Tsukisima blushed, still unable to control how those words made him feel.

"Goodnight, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said with a large sad smile.

"Goodnight, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima replied, doing his best not to get sappy.

With that the two hung up. Tsukishima sat, looking at his reflection in the blank screen. Today had been quite the day, and he definitely knew that he and his team had grown. For the first time in the past week he felt a bit of excitement to take Korrina once more.

Author Note:

Well now, it looks like Tsukisima is also on his way to becoming a stronger trainer. It's a good thing he met Kuroo. I hope all this training help him through his battle with Korrina! I wonder if his worried over Kageyama are well found. Will Kageyama become aware of his crush before the end of the battle camp? There is only one way to find out so stay tuned!

I promise that next week the next chapter will be put out! It's basically ready too but I am going to post them all out one week at a time. Sorry about last week being so late. You know how it is when you get new game. Speaking of games here is my friend code if any of you readers are also playing Sword or Sheild SW-1585-8481-7996. I'm not big into breading or anything myself but maybe if you need an exclusive or whatever I can hook you up.

As always, thank you all so much for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all so please do keep them coming. Feedback is always great!

Anyways, I'm going to get back to my game and write a bit more so see you all next chapter!


	60. The Battle Between Kohai and Senpai

Hello readers! See, I was being honest when I said the next chapter would be out on time. I wonder what sort of shenanigans we will see in this chapter! Enjoy 3

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 60!

The Battle Between Kohai and Senpai

Yamaguchi found himself sharing a table with Kageyama, Noya, Yaku, and Sugawara. This morning they had been split into groups to practice pastry decorating. While Yamaguchi was indeed wonderful at baking and cooking his plating and decorating still left a lot to be desired. He just didn't have an eye for it in the same way that Sugawara or Yachi did. Kageyama watched the four work as they decorated some freshly baked Poke Puffs, handing tools over anytime he was asked.

The four worked diligently as they practiced the different piping techniques Sugawara showed them. Yamaguchi had no clue how Sugawara was able to make all his rosettes so uniform in size when he piped. Yamaguchi's own hands were far too shaky to ever execute such perfection.

"Gah!" Noya groaned as he tossed his bag of chocolate frosting on the workbench. "You're just too perfect, Sugawara!"

"Oh, Noya, you're too kind," Sugawara replied cheekily.

"You make it look so easy," Yamaguchi agreed as he examined his Poke Puff. His decoration wasn't horrible but it definitely wasn't award-winning.

"Cake decorating takes a lot of practice but it's not impossible," Sugawara said as he picked up his own bag of pink frosting. "Just remember to push with your palm at the base and keep an even pressure," as he spoke he added several fancy loops to his Poke Puff. " Remember our other hand guides at the tip and no squeezing."

Yamaguchi couldn't help but admire how smoothly Sugawara handled the bag of frosting. He was pretty sure his hands, face, and apron had more frosting on them than his own Poke Puff. decorating wasn't something they did too often at their bakery back home, but now Yamaguchi wished he had spent more time with his Grandmother when she decorated cakes.

Yamaguchi did his best to follow Sugawara's advice. He had gotten better with the decorating deal, but he still had a lot to improve on. It wasn't like the first time he tried to decorate those Malasada at that festival a while back. At least now he could pipe a decent flower.

"So, Yamaguchi," Sugawara said as the four carried on practicing. "I never asked you what it was that got you interested in showcases. I recall when we first met you were collecting badges were you not."

"Oh, yeah," Yamaguchi sheepishly admitted. "When I first came here I was collecting badges."

"Really?" Yaku piped in as he grabbed a new Puff to decorate. "I never would have guessed that you were this new to showcases."

"Yeah, when I first came here I was just going to collect badges and join the league, but I'm really not too good at battling," Yamaguchi explained. "Well, I'm a little better at battling thanks to Kageyama," He added, sending Kageyama a smile.

Kageyama's cheeks went pink as he gave a curt nod mumbling "I haven't done anything."

"So what got you interested in showcases?" Yaku asked, looking up momentarily from his Puff to find Yamaguchi thinking.

"Well, I lost my first gym battle pretty bad," Yamaguchi began as he recalled that day. "The gym leader swept my team and I sort of ran away, and when I did, I met someone."

"Oh? Was it a showcase contestant?" Sugawara asked in interest.

"I bet he saw how perfect Kiyoko was and was inspired to join showcases," Noya hummed like the fanboy he was.

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh at how absurd Noya could be sometimes. "The person I met used to do showcases but now he breeds Pokemon. He's the one I got Eevee's egg from."

"Oh right," Sugawara nodded. "I do recall you having an egg back then. So that's where you got your shiny Eevee?" he asked as he looked to the Eevee sleeping in Yamaguchi's lap.

"Yup, Shimada told me about showcases that night and the next day insisted I take Eevee's egg and raise her," Yamaguchi nodded "I still talk with him regularly about showcases, too. He really helpful and so nice."

"Shimada… I feel like I know that name from somewhere," Noya hummed as he thought deeply.

"Wait, are you talking about the same Shimada family that breeds top-quality Pokemon?" Sugawara asked, his eyes wide with shock. "They're the most famous breeders in all of Kalos!"

"Wasn't their son, Makoto, the first boy to ever win the Kalos King title?" Yaku added in excitement. "I heard he was one of the top showcase contestants back in the day."

"W-what? Really?" Yamaguchi stammered, a bit shocked to hear the news.

"He's the one who has been guiding you in your showcases?" Noya asked, almost jumping over the table in his excitement.

"I… Yes… I-I mean I guess so," Yamaguchi said, a bit shocked by the other boys' reaction. He had no clue Shimada and his family were so well known.

"This is so cool! You have to introduce me to him someday," Noya pressed as he leaned so far over the table that he smashed one of his Poke Puffs.

Yamaguchi couldn't find his voice as he backed up a bit. He'd love to introduce Noya to Shimada, but he had no clue if Shimada would be okay with it. Now that he thought of it, he didn't have a clue if Shimada helping him was meant to be kept a secret.

"Calm down, Noya," Sugawara demanded, pushing Noya back into his seat. "Stop pressuring Yamaguchi like that."

"Whoops, sorry," Noya apologised with a sheepish smile.

"But it would be cool to meet Shimada," Yaku admitted. "And I can't believe we are in the presence of a Shimada-bred Eevee."

"No wonder she's shiny," Noya nodded with excitement. "I bet she is strong in battle, too."

Yamaguchi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't sure how he felt about this new development. It was a shock to find out Shimada was so well known, but he hoped he wasn't a bother. Coming from such a famous breeding family, he must be a busy man. He'd have to make sure the next time they talked.

The morning practice ended around noon and Yamaguchi felt like his piping work may have been a bit better than before. He followed the group to the cafeteria and ate lunch along with Kageyama and Sugawara. As the three ate and chatted, Yamaguchi couldn't help but notice Yachi looking their way several times throughout the meal. She looked almost sad and as Yamaguchi thought about what could be bothering her it occurred to him that Yachi hadn't talked much with him or Kageyama this whole camp. Was she okay? He didn't have much time to dwell on it, for she had made a quick exit alongside Kyoko and the rest of her group upon finishing her lunch.

Afternoon practice was going quite well and Yamaguchi had a feeling he and Riolu would have their routine down perfect by the end of the week. All they needed was for Riolu to master Aura Sphere and they'd be set to win their next key. Yamaguchi knew it was absurd to think this but he felt like nothing could beat this routine.

Once the sun began to set Yamaguchi, Kageyama, and Sugawara made their way back to the camp to prepare dinner. Tonight they'd be making Loco Moco, an Alolan Specialty and something Yamaguchi hadn't had since coming to Kalos. He hoped everyone enjoyed it.

When the three arrived at the camp they were quite shocked to see Oikawa and Iwaizumi there to greet them. Oikawa's eyes immediately landed on Kageyama. Yamaguchi gave a small start as Kageyama released a low growl. These two definitely had a history.

"Well, if it isn't little Tobio!" Oikawa hummed as he swaggered over to greet them. "It's good to see you again, Sugawara," He didn't bother to acknowledge Yamaguchi.

"What do you want, Oikawa?" Kageyama growled, his face holding a frown as deep as the sea.

"Oh why so grumpy?" Oikawa replied with a smirk. "Can't I come a see an old kohai of mine?"

"Oikawa, you promised not to pick a fight," Iwaizumi cut in.

"Relax, Iwa-chan," Oikawa replied with a wave of his hand. "I'd never dream of picking a fight at a training camp. I'm not some sort of Emboar."

"You obviously aren't here just to say hi," Sugawara called out with a knowing smirk. "And we'd appreciate it if you refrained from upsetting Kageyama."

"You too, Suga," Oikawa pouted. "Fine, I just came to challenge my little Kohai to a friendly battle," he shrugged.

"Sorry, but I'm busy," Kageyama replied. "We have dinner to make and after that I am helping Yamaguchi here with something."

Oikawa's eyes looked from Kageyama and for the first time landed on Yamaguchi. "You're going to blow me off for him?" he asked, sounding quite insulted.

"Yes," Kageyama bluntly replied. "Besides, Yamaguchi is a lot more pleasant to be around."

"Sounds to me like you're just going to use your dumpy little friend here as an excuse to run away," Oikawa sneered.

"Yamaguchi isn't dumpy," Kageyama grumbled, glaring at Oikawa.

Both Sugawara and Yamaguchi started a bit, surprised by how angry Kageyama had become.

"He looks pretty dumpy to me," Oikawa said giving Yamaguchi a quick once over.

Yamaguchi felt all sorts of uncomfortable as Oikawa used him as a pawn to get to Kegeyama.

"You take that back!" Kageyama growled, stepping between Oikawa and Yamaguchi.

"Make me," Oikawa challenged.

"Oikawa, stop being an ass or I'm taking you back to the lab now," Iwizumi warned like a mother.

"It's fine Kageyama," Yamaguchi insisted, afraid that they might actually fight.

"No, he was rude to you," Kageyama sharply replied, spooking Yamaguchi a bit.

"If you want me to take it back, then you'll have to battle me," Oikawa insisted stubbornly.

"We have dinner to cook," Kageyama grumbled in reply.

"Then battle me after dinner," Oikawa shrugged.

"I have plans after dinner."

Oikawa rolled his eyes. "What, has this kid got you on a leash or something?"

"We don't have to practice tonight if you don't want to," Yamaguchi mumbled from beside Kageyama, wanting to dissipate the tension as fast as he could.

"See, looks like you are free to battle," Oikawa hummed. "Looks like dumpy here isn't useless after all."

Kageyama looked like he was about to burst as he glared at Oikawa. "F-Fine! I'll battle you, but you have to apologize to Yamaguchi."

"You beat me and I'll apologize to your little princess," Oikawa agreed with a carefree shrug.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink. He wasn't a princess.

"Deal!" Kageyama shouted.

"I can't believe you," Iwaizumi groaned, side eyeing Oikawa.

"Never a dull moment when Oikawa is around," Sugawara shrugged.

"So, what's for dinner?" Oikawa asked, ignoring the fact that Kageyama was still visibly angry at him.

"You're not invited," Kageyama snapped as Sugawara said "Loco Moco."

As Sugawara headed towards the cafeteria Oikawa and Iwaizumi followed after.

"Hey, I said you're not invited," Kageyama snapped as he and Yamaguchi rushed after the others.

"Suga here invited us for dinner this morning when I told him we had the evening off," Oikawa replied, not bothering to look Kageyama's way. "Right, Suga?" he confirmed in a sweet voice.

"Sorry, Kageyama," Sugawara shrugged. "I didn't realize he'd be this much of a pain."

"Hey, I'm not a pain," Oikawa retorted.

"You are too a pain!" Iwaizumi and Kageyama replied in unison.

Fortunately for them, dinner prep did not involve Oikawa. Sugawara had insisted they wait in the seating area while they cooked to avoid anymore arguing between Oikawa and Kageyama. Yamaguchi was flattered that Kageyama would stand up for him like he did, but he was also shocked by how upset Kageyama had become.

As he and Kageyama shaped some meat patties he couldn't help but pry a bit.

"Thanks for standing up for me, Kageyama, but don't feel like you have to if it's going to cause a fight," Yamaguchi started as he glanced Kageyama's way.

"I just don't like the way he was looking down on you," Kageyama replied, his tone frustrated.

"I really don't care what Oikawa thinks about me," Yamaguchi admitted. "But it was still made me happy that you would stand up for me," he said with one of his sweet smiles.

Kageyama seemed to go stiff upon seeing this. "I-It's n-nothing," he insisted, becoming oddly flustered.

Yamaguchi wondered if Kageyama was not used to gratitude like this. He imagined Yachi must of thanked him for things before but he honestly had no clue.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you and Oikawa known each other?" Yamauchi asked remembering that Oikawa had referred to Kageyama as his kohai.

"Back in Kanto when we were kids, Oikawa and I went to the same Pokemon trainer school," Kageyama frowned. "I don't know why, but that asshole has always had it out for me," he carried on, getting a bit rough with the shaping of his current hamburger patty.

"You went to a trainer school?" Yamaguchi gasped. Alola had a trainer schools too, but it was too expensive for most kids to go to. Yamaguchi's family could never have afforded it.

"Yeah, when I was ten, instead of a journey my parents put me in a trainer school," Kageyama nodded. "It was only a few years ago that I left school to go on an actual journey."

"And that's when you met Yachi and Hinata, right?" Yamaguchi asked immediately regretting his question the second it left his mouth.

"Yeah, that's when I met them…" Kageyama replied, sounding more sad than anything else.

A solid silence hung between the two. Yamaguchi could tell that the topic of Hinata and Yachi had caused Kageyama to go from angry to upset.

"Hey, if you ever need to talk I'm here for you," Yamaguchi promised. He did consider Kageyama a friend now.

Kageyama looked to Yamaguchi in confusion. Was this poor boy not used to being consoled by someone?

"We are friends after all," Yamaguchi carried on. "And friends help you talk out problems sometimes."

Kageyama gave a small nod as he blushed. "R-Right, I guess we are friends…"

With a kind smile, Yamaguchi gave a nod. This only seemed to redden Kageyama's cheeks.

"Hey, are you two about done with those patties?" Sugawara asked from across the kitchen.

"We'll be done in a moment!" Yamaguchi called back, juggling the meat in his hands as he did so. He had almost forgotten what they were doing.

With that the two trainers went back to their task at hand.

Dinner was served up quickly and everyone seemed to love the Alolan dish. Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile as everyone dug into their plates. Loco Moco was one of his grandfather's specialty dishes, and a dish Yamaguchi held dear.

"So you're telling me this amazing dish is one of Dumpy McFreckleface's?" Oikawa could be heard across the room as he talked with Suga.

Yamaguchi placed a hand on Kageyama's shoulder to help keep him calm. Honestly, that was probably the closest thing to a compliment Yamaguchi would ever get from Oikawa.

As dinner ended and trainers left to do their own evening practice Yamaguchi noticed Yachi stay behind. After parting ways with Kyoko she approached the two nervously.

"H-Hey Yamaguchi... K-Kageyama...," Yachi sputtered. She was obviously nervous.

"Yachi, care to join us?" Yamaguchi asked as he scooted closer to Kageyama to make room for her.

Kageyama nodded stiffly as she sat down beside Yamaguchi.

"I-I heard that Oikawa and K-Kageyama would have a battle," Yachi awkwardly commented. Her nerves were so intense that Yamaguchi was feeling a few secondhand jitters.

"You going to hang back and watch it?" Yamaguchi asked, doing his best to keep his cool for Yachi's sake.

"I-If that's o-okay?" Yachi meekly asked as she and Yamguchih looked to Kageyama.

"Fine by me," Kageyama replied with a stiff shrug. He didn't look at Yachi as he did so. Yamaguchi had a feeling that Kageyama was also feeling a bit nervous to talk with Yachi.

"Thanks," Yachi replied with a very nervous laugh.

It was at that moment that Oikawa approached the table.

"Nice dinner, kid," Oikawa said, sending Yamaguchi a nod. "You're not as hopeless as I thought you were."

Yamaguchi shrank back a bit as he gave a small shrug. He really didn't want Kageyama to get upset again. Unfortunately his wishes went unheard as Kageyama stood up. Slamming his hand on the table and spooking both Yamaguchi and Yachi he glared at Oikawa.

"I take it you're ready for a battle then?" Oikawa purred.

"I'll make you regret everything you just said," Kageyama snapped.

"Good, Tobio," Oikawa hummed. "I like it when you're fired up."

It was at that moment that Yamaguchi got the odd feeling that Oikawa was only picking on him to upset Kageyama.

It felt like everyone from the camp had decided to watch the battle between Oikawa and Kageyama. As Yamaguchi looked around, it even looked as if some staff from the science lab had shown up. How did they catch word of this? Perhaps a battle between strong trainers like Oikawa and Kageyama was something nobody wanted to miss. Iwaizumi and Daichi were set as referees for the match, and it was decided that they could use three Pokemon each.

Yamaguchi and Yachi found a spot on the grass on Kageyama's side, close to where he stood ready to battle. Kageyama looked focused and ready. Yachi shook nervously from beside Yamaguchi. She had been on edge this whole time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the three-on-three battle between Kageyama Tobio and Oikawa Tooru," Sugawara shouted over the crowd. His presence was strong enough to catch everyone's attention. "Oikawa had come to prove to us all that he isn't just a pretentious asshole," Sugawara shouted, motioning to a very smug Oikawa. "And his opponent, Kageyama, is fighting for the honor of our very own Yamaguchi!" This time Sugawara motioned to where Kageyama stood stiff as a board.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but blush while the people around him snickered.

"Let the battle commence," Sugawara shouted and with that both trainers call the fourth their pokemon.

"Absol, let's teach this jerk a lesson," Kageyama shouted, calling out his first Pokemon. The dark type Pokemon gave a loud cry as he took center field.

"Ninetails, let show little Tobio who is boss," Oikawa practically sand as he released his Alolan Ninetails. The ice fox gave a beautiful cry before sizing up her opponent.

Yamaguchi sat stiffly as he watched the two battle. He had never seen Kageayama battle seriously before and he had to admit it was amazing. He commanded his Pokemon with such definition it was no wonder he was able to beat Korrina on his first try.

Oikawa's Ninetails just barely beat down Kageyama's Absol, but Kageyama's Corvisquire was able to finish off Oikawa's Ninetails pretty fast. Oikawa's magnificent Chandelure put up an amazing challenge. Oikawa was not only a top quality showcase contestant but he was amazing at battling.

As the battle went on Yamaguchi could help but notice how stiff Yachi had become. She looked nervous and upset. It was like she was about to give up hope on something.

Kageyama called out his final Pokemon, Dragonair. Yamguchi was amazed to see a Dragonair in real life. The long dragon Pokemon was simply beautiful. He took notice of Yachi's surprised face as she whispered a shocked "Dratini evolved."

Dragonair took out Oikawa's Chandelure in a matter of a few hits and both trainers were left with just one Pokemon. With a cocky smile, Oikawa called out his Glaceon. Yamaguchi's hold on Eevee tightened in worry. Dragons were weak to ice.

The battle between the final two Pokemon was intense and neither trainer nor Pokemon was giving in. The crowd watching cheered with excitement as the battle climaxed and it was when Dragonair took a third direct ice beam that she went down.

"Dragonair is unable to battle," Daichi announced. "Oikawa is the winner."

"Hahaha!" Oikawa laughed from his side of the field. "I knew I was still better than you!"

Kageyama looked upset as he called back his Dragonair. Yamaguchi wanted to console him, but Sugawara had already beat him to it. The crowd of onlookers were now bustling in excitement over the battle they had just seen. With people walking this way and that, Yamaguchi soon lost sight of Kageyama.

"Hey, Yamaguchi…" Yachi quietly spoke as she grabbed his arm gently.

"What is it, Yachi?" Yamaguchi asked, a bit shocked at the sudden contact.

"Are you by any chance free to talk?" She asked, sending Yamaguchi a serious yet desperate look.

"Yeah, what is it?" He asked, concerned as to what was bothering Yachi.

"Do you mind if we go somewhere a bit more private?" Yachi followed up, looking around at the excitement around them.

With concern in his eyes, Yamaguchi gave a small nod. What could Yachi have to talk with him about?

Author Notes:

Poor Kageyama couldn't win against Oikawa. I hope he doesn't take the loss too hard! I wonder what Yachi had to talk with Yamaguchi about? What's go her all upset! That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned.

Hey guys! I want to thank you all so much for the kudos, bookmarks, follows, comments and reviews. Feedback is always the best for us fic writers so please keep it coming :)

Next chapter should make it up in time next week no problem. Can't wait to find out what Yachi has to say. But honestly the next chapter and the one after are chapters that I've been planning or about a year now so I hope you enjoy them.

I will see you all next chapter!


	61. Aura Sphere

Hey all! I wonder what Yachi has to talk with Yamaguchi about. Let's find out :D

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 61!

Aura Sphere

With the camp alive with so many people, Yamaguchi had made a quick decision to take Yachi to the quiet clifftop where Sugawara often took them to train in the afternoon. He was positive no one would be there at this time of night and it would be quiet enough for them to talk. He had also been more than enough times to find his way without getting too turned around. He hoped the scenery would help ease Yachi.

The walk was quiet and Yachi followed him without question. She didn't seem bothered or afraid as they entered the forest. Yamaguchi himself probably would have been a bit shaken to enter an unknown forest at night. Was Yachi really that distressed? As they made their way down the path the sound from the battle files faded. Every now and then they could hear a rather loud cheer but for the most part, the forest was quiet.

The two walked past the quiet research center, up a steep incline, around a large rock and before they knew it they had made it to their destination. Without a word, Yamaguchi led Yachi to the top of the hill that overlooked the forest. He sat himself down and motioned for Yachi to do the same. She hesitated for only a moment before sitting beside him.

Yamaguchi took a long sigh as he looked over the forest. A pinkish-purple hue hung over the sea in the distance as the sun made its final descent. The stars were just starting to dot the sky. The lights of Shalour City flickered like diamonds just behind the forest. Iwaizumi's research center was dark and quiet. The bright lights of the battlefield could be seen from between the thick trees. The night air was warm and comfortable making it easy for the two to enjoy the view.

Yachi sat beside Yamaguchi with her knees to her chest. She rested her chin upon them as she too took in the view. Her eyes held a mixture of amazement and trouble. Yamaguchi sat silently allowing her the time she needed to get her thoughts together.

"This is so beautiful," Yachi sighed, her voice sounding distant.

"Yeah…" Yamaguchi wistfully agreed. He hoped it helped Yachi feel better.

A loud cheer could be heard in the distance from the battlefield. Perhaps another battle had begun.

"Sorry to take you away from the excitement," Yachi apologised as her eyes fixed on the camp.

"It's not a big deal," Yamaguchi shrugged. "I'm not big on crowds anyways."

Yachi gave a small hum, her eyes still fixed on the camp's lights where another battle was most likely taking place.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Yamaguchi asked, deciding to invite the subject in case Yachi was too nervous to begin on her own.

Yachi gave a loud sigh and small pout as she considered the question. "It's going to sound stupid."

"I highly doubt that," Yamaguchi replied, giving her shoulder a small nudge.

Yachi cracked a small smile that only lasted a moment before returning to a more troubled expression. "I feel like Kageyama is avoiding me," she started quietly. "He hasn't said a word to me since the day camp started."

Yamaguchi nodded, for he too had found it quite strange that the two had not spoken much this whole time.

"He won't even look at me," Yachi carried on, her voice cracking a bit. "I know he was upset with Hinata but now I'm scared that I also upset him somehow."

Yamaguchi felt his a stab of pity for her. He knew Yachi had been worried for Kageyama but he didn't know it was to this extent.

"I don't think Kageyama is upset with you, Yachi," Yamaguchi gently replied as he patted her on the back. Eevee joined in with the comfort by curling up beside Yachi.

"If he isn't upset at me then why won't he talk to me?" Yachi replied with a small hiccup as she obviously fought back tears. "He must think I chose Hinata over him or something."

Yamaguchi was quite shocked by Yachi's conclusion. This whole time he had been hanging out with Kageyama he never once felt that Kageyama was upset at Yachi.

"Oh come on. You know Kageyama isn't upset at you," Yamaguchi gently began, making sure to keep his voice even and his smile soft. "Kageyama is just an awkward guy and probably doesn't know how to approach you."

Yachi gave a small laugh. "He is pretty awkward huh?"

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh of his own. "He's always so stiff and any time anyone does anything nice to him he blushes."

"Kageyama, blushing?" Yachi giggled. "I always had to deal with him yelling at Hinata."

"I'm pretty sure he only has two ways of communication," Yamaguchi joked, happy to see Yachi lightening up. "Shouting and mumbling while he blushes."

Yachi almost fell backwards she was laughing so hard. "Poor Kageyama isn't even here to defend himself."

"See!" Yamaguchi shrugged, happy to have helped Yachi feel better. "He probably just doesn't know how to talk to you about his feelings."

"Maybe you're right," Yachi replied as she gained control of her giggles, becoming serious once more. "I guess I've just been too scared to talk to him myself."

"I'm sure if you tried talking to him, he'd listen to you," Yamaguchi nodded. "I bet he's been waiting for you to approach him."

"Do you really think so?" Yachi asked, peeking over at Yamaguchi.

"I'm not saying I know Kageyama too well, but I wouldn't be surprised," he replied with a shrug.

Yachi's smile faded as she released a pathetic sigh. "I've just been too scared to really approach him. I'm not good with confrontations. I don't know how you do it."

"Me? Confrontation?" Yamaguchi almost gasped.

"Everyone could tell you and Tsukishima were having some sort of falling out back when he tried battling the Shalour Gym," Yachi started as she studied Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink. Had he and Tsukki's troubles really been that obvious?

"But that night we had ramen, you went after him and the next day you two seemed fine," Yachi sounded almost envious of him as she spoke. "I don't think I could ever go after someone who was that upset. How did you do it?"

For a moment, Yamaguchi felt a loss of words. That night had been a whirlwind for him. His emotions had been all over the place. He thought for a long moment as he tried to recall what he had felt.

"I was scared back then," Yamaguchi carefully began as he recalled the night.

Yachi seemed surprised by this answer. "Scared?" she echoed.

"I was afraid that if I didn't do something then this journey we are on together would be over," Yamaguchi carried on. He felt his cheeks heat up at the thought of Tsukki, but his heart felt as if it was going to break again as he recalled almost losing what they had. He'd surely have broken to pieces if Tsukki had given up on their journey.

"Oh no, I'm sorry!" Yachi yelped as she caught sight of the pained expression on Yamaguchi's face.

"Sorry for what?" Yamaguchi replied. The horrible memories completely faded as he did so.

"I didn't mean to bring up bad memories like that…" Yachi quietly replied.

"It's fine, Yachi," Yamaguchi said with a shake of his head. "Besides, if I hadn't gone after him that night I think Tsukki would have left Kalos."

"Do you really think he would have left," Yachi gasped.

"I don't know for sure," Yamaguchi admitted with a shrug. "But I wasn't going to risk it so I went after him. I would have been devastated if he had left, so I couldn't just leave it without trying."

Yachi studied Yamaguchi for a long moment. She had a gentle smile as she listened to him speak. "You really like Tsukki, don't you?" She teased.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright pink as he looked to her in shock. By the way Yachi smiled at him, he could tell there was no point in lying to her. "Is it that obvious?"

"Maybe a little," Yachi giggled.

Yamaguchi hid his hands in his face as he let out a loud groan. "I've never been good at hiding how I feel."

"I think it's really cute," Yachi insisted as he gave him a small nudge. "Have you told him how you feel? Is that what you said to get him to stay?"

"What? No!" Yamaguchi's face was full on red now. "Tsukki definitely would have left if I confessed to him. Especially if he was in a bad mood."

Yachi laughed loudly at Yamaguchi's flustered reaction. "I don't know. I think Tsukki would be pretty happy if you told him how you felt. I think he likes you back."

Yamaguchi felt like he had a giant glob a peanut butter in his mouth as he tried to find a comeback. "Hey, didn't we come here to talk about you and Kageyama?" He decided on as he did his best to calm his heart down.

Yachi only laughed in reply.

Was Yachi correct in thinking Tsukki returned his feelings? Tsukki did treat him more gently then he did others, but that was probably just because they were best friends. Then again, he did recall Tsukki blushing every time he told him how much he missed him. He often caught Tsukki just staring at him from time to time, too. There were also those nights when Tsukki would gently read to him in bed after a nightmare. Did Tsukki really like him back?

"I've made up my mind," Yachi declared as she stood up. "So much has happened these past few days, and I'm sick and tired of being scared all the time. I'm ready to grow up. The next time I see Kageyama, I am going to tell him what I think!"

Yamaguchi almost fell back at the sudden declaration. Had their talk really encouraged Yachi so much? He couldn't help but smile himself as he too stood up. "I guess I should stop running from my feelings," he admitted as he joined her. He loved Tsukki and the next time they met he'd make sure Tsukki knew it.

"You better watch out, Kageyama! I won't let you run away again!" Yachi shouted over the forest.

"I'm in love with Tsukishima Kei," Yamaguchi practically screamed. He felt a large weight lift from his shoulders as the words left his mouth.

The two trainers laughed at themselves as they exchanged a sloppy high five. Eevee danced around their ankles as she released a happy trill.

"We're such dorks," Yachi laughed as she flopped back down on the grass.

"I can't believe I just shouted that so loudly," Yamaguchi blushed as he joined her.

"It's okay," Yachi consoled thought giggles. "Everyone already knows you are in love with Tsukishima."

"Oh Arceus," Yamaguchi half groaned half giggled. "Do you think Tsukki knows?"

"Yeah," Yachi bluntly replied between her cute giggles.

Yamaguchi felt embarrassed by this realization but also happy. Maybe Tsukki really did like him back? He'd find out soon enough. The next time he saw Tsukki in person he'd make sure he knew how he felt.

The two trainers giggled and joked amongst each other for a while. By the time they had calmed down the cheering from the battlefield had died down. The lights were still on, but most likely things were beginning to wind down.

"It's pretty late," Yachi said as she checked her watch. "We should probably head back before people start to worry."

"Yeah, the last thing we need to do is cause them to send a search party," Yamaguchi agreed. He imagined Sugawara running wild through the woods looking for them as he dragged Daichi along.

The two gathered themselves and made their way back down the path towards the camp. As they walked they joked about this and that. Eevee sat snug in Yamaguchi's arms trilling along with their laughter. It was as they approached the research facility that Yamaguchi noticed someone else on the path.

Ar first he assumed it was one of the researchers heading back now that the battle was over, but as they came closer Yamaguchi noticed something strange about the man in front of them. He motioned for Yachi to quiet down a bit for it seemed like the man had not taken notice of them. With his back to them, he seemed to be looking towards the research building. As they approached Yamaguchi could make out what looked to be an SUV parked a bit ahead of the man. It was when the man turned just enough for Yamaguchi to see his face that alarm bells went wild in Yamaguchi's head. The man wore an ekans mask.

In one quick motion, Yamaguchi shoved both himself and Yachi into the closest bush. Yachi released a started squeak but Yamaguchi quickly motioned for her to keep quiet. This man was dressed just the same as those grunts that had almost kidnapped him.

Yamaguchi's mind raced as he tried to think of what to do. They couldn't just sit here. He knew they'd eventually get caught but the grunt was blocking their path back to the camp. If one grunt was wandering around there were bound to be more so they had to do something. With clumsy hands Yamaguchi pulled out his dex. Perhaps they could message someone. He flipped it on and his heart dropped when he saw that he had no signal. Yachi sent him a devastated look as she too checked her dex. What were they going to do?

Thinking fast, he called out Swirlix. He and Yachi might not be able to make it back to the camp but one of their Pokemon might be able to pass as a wild Pokemon and slip past the grunts.

"Go back to the camp and get someone," Yamaguchi commanded her. She looked confused and unsure but did as she was told. She could tell by Yamaguchi's voice and posture that something wasn't right. She swiftly disappeared into the trees.

It was when Swirlix was gone that Yamaguchi took notice of how stiff Yachi looked.

"What's going on?" She squeaked.

"That man over there," Yamaguchi said as he pointed at the grunt who looked to be organizing things in a box now. "I've run into people like him and they're bad news."

"What!?" Yachi hissed in horror.

"It's okay. We just need to find somewhere to hide until Swirlix comes back with some help," Yamaguchi insisted, doing his best to keep Yachi calm.

Yachi looked as if she was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Hey, did you hear something?" A voice called out from somewhere beyond the grunt they could see.

"What? Said the grunt next to the SUV. He turned to scan the path. Yamaguchi and Yachi both ducked behind the bush.

"I hear someone talking over there," came the voice of the female grunt. Yamaguchi could tell it wasn't Mika, but he didn't dare peek out to take a look.

Yamaguchi felt panic rush through his body as he heard them approach. He motioned for Yachi to follow him before they got caught. Yachi didn't hesitate to crawl after him. Too focused on the two grunts, the two trainers scurried in a random direction to get away.

Before they knew it they found themselves falling out of the forest and onto the research center's property. Yamaguchi stumbled to his feet but before he could get a look at their surroundings a light was flashed on them and a familiar voice rang through the air.

"Hey, someone is over there!" Admin Mika shouted as she and a few grunts ran at them. "Stop them."

"Shit!" Yamaguchi cures as looked back to the forest only to see the original two grunts blocking that path.

Yachi released a horrified scream as she grabbed Yamaguchi's arm. "What are we going to do?"

With the cliff behind them, the research building to the side of them, the woods crawling with grunts and Admin Mika charging towards them they were trapped. But this time Yamaguchi wasn't going to allow himself to be their prisoner.

"We are going to fight," Yamaguchi declared as he selected Riolu's Pokeball. He had sent Swirlix for help so all they had to do was hold them off until she returned.

"Battle? Them?" Yachi asked in horror as she pressed closer to Yamaguchi.

"These guys are bad news! We can't let them capture us or our Pokemon!" Yamaguchi said as Admin Mika closed in on them.

"Oh Arceus," Yachi whimpered, looking as if she could faint at any second. Fortunately, she didn't.

As Admin Mika and three other grunts, a woman and two men, came up on them she shined her bright flashlight on Yachi examining her for a second before landing it on Yamaguchi.

"You again," She spat upon realizing show Yamaguchi was. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," she growled.

Yamaguchi felt his heart go cold at her words. Yachi gave a small horrified gasp. Through her Arbok mask, all Yamaguchi could see were her cold angry eyes.

"Y-You're n-not going to get a-away with this," Yamaguchi stammered as his body shook. It took everything in him to not fall apart but he knew he had to defend himself.

"Oh, you wanna fight kid?" Admin Mika asked in amusement. The three grunts laughed. Admin Mika looked ready to pull out her own Pokeball, her cold eyes were fixed on Yamaguchi. "I won't let you get in the way of this mission this time," she growled.

Yamaguchi made sure to stand his ground despite his shaking knees. Yachi also kept as brave of a front as she could. Admin Mika's hand hung over her Pokeball.

"Don't let them get away," Admin Mika growled to the three grunts. "I'll warn the Boss and send reinforcements," She then said before turning, leaving the grunts to take care of Yamaguchi and Yachi.

The three grunts wore matching ekans masks that hide their faces. They all laughed as they closed in on Yamaguchi and Yachi.

"I'll take the girl and you two take the boy," the shortest of the male grunts said as he fished his Pokeball from his belt. The two other grunts nodded as the too grabbed their Pokeballs.

"We just have to hold them off," Yamaguchi insisted in hopes to keep Yachi calm.

"I don't plan to surrender that easily," Yachi replied with a surprising amount of bravery for how scared she looked.

The grunt facing off against Yachi summoned an Alolan Rattata that looked more than ready for a fight. The male trainer facing off against Yamaguchi called for his Ekans while the female trainer called her Rattata.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Yachi shouted, wasting no time in defending herself and her team. "We have to stop them, Bulbasaur."

Bulbasaur looked like she was about ready to destroy anyone that so much as looked at Yachi wrong.

"Riolu, let's show these grunts what you're made of!" Yamaguchi shouted as he called Riolu out.

Riolu looked more than ready to fight. With the training they had with Kageyama these two Pokemon were bound to be a breeze.

"Rattata, use Crunch!" the female grunt shouted!

"Ekans, use Acid!" the male grunt commanded.

"Riolu! Counter with Quick Attack!" Yamaguchi shouted.

Riolu was fast, much faster than her two opponents. She easily avoided the two attacks and landed a strong quick attack on the little rattata.

Full of adrenaline, Yamaguchi didn't wait to shout out his next command. "Force Palm!"

"Ekans, use Bite!"

"Rattata, Crunch!"

Riolu was able to dodge the ekans, but the rattata made a direct hit. With a cry, Riolu tried to shake off the rattata from its paw.

"Riolu!" Yamaguchi shouted in worry.

"Wrap!" the male trainer shouted and the next thing Yamaguchi knew Riolu found her lower body constricted by the snake Pokemon.

Yamaguchi felt panic run through him but he couldn't give up. In his arms, Eevee wiggled, ready to protect her family. At this Yamaguchi let her go! If they could use two Pokemon then so could he!

"Eevee, knock Rattata off with Tackle!" Yamaguchi shouted.

Eevee didn't need to be told twice and in a flash Rattata was sent flying. Eevee didn't know many offensive moves but if she wanted to protect Riolu who was he to stop her.

"We can't let this kid beat us!" The male grunt growled. "Ekans, use poison jab!"

"Eevee, keep rattata away with tackle! Riolu use Force Palm on Ekans!" Yamaguchi commanded, not ready to give in.

Eevee cried as he went wild on the rattata. Yamaguchi was surprised at how fired up Eevee was.

Before Ekans could land it's attack it was shaken off with a direct hit of Force Palm.

"This fucking kid is so annoying!" the female grunt moaned. "Ratatta, use hyper fang on that stupid Eevee!"

"Eevee!" Yamaguchi cried knowing such a strong attack would injure Eevee greatly. He knew it was a longshot but he had to try. "Riolu, use Aura Sphere! Don't let that attack land."

Riolu gave a loud bark of determination. She'd to anything to protect Eevee and before they knew it a sphere of blue light flew from her paws, nailing Rattata right between the eyes and knocking it out cold.

It had worked! Yamaguchi gave a loud whoop of excitement as both he and his two Pokemon turned on Ekans and it's trainer.

"No Ratatta!" the female grunt. "You better destroy this kid!" she said to the male grunt.

The male grunt didn't look as confident as before but stood his ground. "Ekans, use Poison Jab!"

"Riolu! Aura Sphere!"

Once more, Riolu had no trouble summoning a ball of Aura and shooting it at the poor Ekans. The snake flew back and didn't move once landing.

"This fucking kid!" the male grunt shouted as he called back his Ekans.

Yamaguchi turned to see Yachi and Bulbasaur barely fending off the Alolan Rattata.

"Riolu, Aura Sphere one more time!" Yamaguchi shouted, give a small jump as he did so.

Riolu gave a triumphant howl as she shot a large sphere of aura at the poor Alolan Rattata, knocking it out cold.

"Th-Thanks, Yamaguchi," Yachi gasped as she calmed down a bit.

Yamaguchi felt a strange rush. Riolu had mastered the Aura Sphere but he didn't have time to celebrate.

"How could all three of you lose to these two pathetic trainers!" Admin Mika shouted upon seeing the defeat of the grunts. "You both embarrassed me in front of the Boss!" She shrieked as Yamaguchi took notice of a tall man standing beside her.

The man wore a Seviper mask upon his face. His cold, snakelike eyes examined Yamaguchi with curiosity. This man Yamaguchi had never met before in his life but he felt utter fear as he made eye contact with him. Whatever joy he had just felt at winning the battle was now replaced with pure terror.

Author Notes:

Oh no! What will Yamaguchi and Yachi do!? Will they be able to make it out of this mess unscathed? Will help come in time? Who is this masked man!? Why does he scare Yamaguchi so much? What will Tsukki do when he finds out about this fiasco? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It was a fun one to write and one that I've been wanting to get to since starting this fic. In terms of the evil team we may be seeing more and more of them. I really try to incorporate them in the story as they tend to show up in the games. A few small encounters here and there before the player character gets involved more than they planned. I wonder if Yamaguchi is going to have the same sort of fate with this team.

I hope you guys enjoy this evil team as I unveiled more about them. They are kind of a parody of the evil teams we see in the games? I try to make them both scary but also a bit ridiculous since that's the feeling I often get with evil teams in the Pokemon universe. They are out of their minds, supper petty, kind of funny while still being a bit scary. I love Pokemon evil teams and I hope I do them justice.

Thank you all so much for the feedback. Thank you for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I love getting feedback from my readers so please keep it coming.

That's all I really have to say for now so see you all next chapter :)


	62. 30 Missed Messages

Hey all! I hope you are ready to see the next part of this predicament lol. The Boss has finally showed his face? What will he do? Will Yachi and Yamaguchi make it out safe! Let's fine out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 62!

Fight Until the End

Yamaguchi went stiff as the boss's snake-like eyes stayed fixed on him. He could see the man smile wickedly as he studied Yamaguchi. The horror that he felt blinded him of his surroundings. He couldn't even hear Yachi when she called his name nor could he feel Riolu when she tugged at his pant leg.

"So, Mika, this is the boy that's been giving you trouble," the boss spoke in a smooth tone as he continued to study Yamaguchi. He seemed almost amused by the prospect that Yamaguchi could cause as much trouble for them as he has.

"He's been a thorn in my side for a while now," Admin Mika growled.

"Capture them, but don't kill them," The boss commanded, his tone still holding amusement. "We could have a use for them," as he said this his eyes landed only on Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi felt his heart run cold. His instincts told him to run, but where could he go?

Admin Mika seemed shocked by this command. She had assumed they'd just dispose of the two, but nonetheless she bowed to her Boss's commands. "As you wish."

"The items are secured. We will go on ahead of you," the boss said before sending Yamaguchi one last look. He smiled eerily at Yamaguchi once more before turning on his heel and head towards the SUV.

Yamaguchi's eyes followed him. It was only when Yachi grabbed his shoulder with her shaking hand that he snapped back into reality.

"Yamaguchi, what are we going to do?" Yachi whispered, her voice wavering.

It was at that moment that Yamaguchi noticed that several more grunts were now surrounding them. He backed up a step before realizing that even behind them were grunts. There had to be at least ten grunts in total and there were bound to be more in the general area. Yamaguchi was scared. There was no way they could take on so many people at once, and he'd never be able to confess his feelings to Tsukki. For the second time ever, he wondered if he'd be able to see Tsukki ever again.

"You heard the Boss," Admin Mika grumbled, obviously unhappy about the task. "Let's get these two secured and head out." With that, she called forth her Malamar. The evil psychic Pokemon looked thrilled to battle.

The grunts grumbled in understanding as they too summoned their Pokemon. Rattata, Raticate, Ekans, Mightyena, Skuntank, Hypno and Arboc surrounded Yamaguchi and Yachi. The two trainers huddled together. Riolu released a growl and Eevee a hiss.

"W-We can't give up," Yamaguchi muttered, as he thought of Tsukki. He wasn't going to become their prisoner. The idea of seeing their boss again horrified him.

With that, Yamaguchi called out Brionne. They just needed to hold them off until someone came. Even if Swirlix didn't make it back in time, someone from the research center was bound to return.

Yachi also called forth all the Pokemon she had. Her Bulbasaur, Dedenne, Flabébé, and Drifloon were all at the ready. Both trainers knew they were at a disadvantage for the grunts and Admin Mika were bound to have more than just one Pokemon on them. Still, even at a disadvantage, they had to fight. They had to at least try and defend themselves.

"Malamar, Psybeam," Admin Mika commanded. Alongside her, the grunts also commanded their Pokemon to send attacks that varied from Acid to Shadow Ball to Psywave.

The attacks came from all ends. Both trainers did what they could to shield their teams as they called out counterattacks.

"Riolu, Aura sphere, Popplio use Water Gun!" Yamaguchi desperately cried as he blocked the Psybeam from hitting his team. The world around him spun as he collapsed to his knees. He could hear his two Pokemon both send off their attacks. Eevee beside him cried in worry.

"Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf. Dedenne, use Thunder Shock, Driftloon use-" But before Yachi could finish she released a loud shriek as she was hit to the ground by a shadow ball.

Yamaguchi did what he could to keep himself together as Yachi fell beside him. He could see that her Bulbasaur was knocked out already. He looked to find where Riolu and Brinnoe had ended up. They both looked terrible, but were still standing.

"Foul Play," Admin Mika commanded as she and the grunts sent another wave of attacks.

Admin Mika's target was indeed Yamaguchi, for he felt more than one attack strike him at once, knocking the wind out of him. Yachi gave a loud scream as she too fell once again. Her three un-fainted Pokemon stood their ground around her in protection.

Yamaguchi did his best to not pass out. He could see Brionne fainted beside him, and he could hear Riolu send another aura sphere. Eevee was hissing and growling up a storm. From beside him Yachi could be seen failing to sit back up. Yamaguchi wasn't ready to give up yet. They'd have to knock him out fully if they wanted to get away with him.

With what little energy he had left, he pulled himself to his knees, coughing and sputtering. His body hurt and his head spun, but he still had some fight left in him. "Riolu, Eevee," He groaned, unable to stand up. "We have to keep fighting."

Eevee whimpered in worry, while Riolu gave a small growl. Both Pokemon may have still been babies but they would do anything to protect their trainer.

"Oh Arceus, you're so annoying," Admin Mika grumbled. "Malamar, knock out that stupid boy with Hypnosis."

"Riolu, Aura Sphere! Eevee use Sand Attack!" Yamaguchi desperately cried as he braced himself for the Hypnosis.

He could hear the grunts shouting commands left and right. His vision blurred as a shadow ball made contact with his back. The Malamar's angry eyes glowed as it focused on him. This was the end.

"Absol, Razor Wind!" Kageyama's voice cut through the air. "I won't let you hurt my friends!"

"Roserade, Magical Leaf!" Oikawa shouted!

"Shiftry, Shadow Ball!" Iwaizumi growled.

"Milotic, Hydro Pump!" Sugawara shouted. He sounded pissed off!

"Avalugg, Ice Ball," Daichi's strong voice boomed.

"Altaria, Dragon Pulse," Kiyoko's cool voice cut through the air.

They were saved. Yamaguchi's vision went blurry as he collapsed on the sand. He could hear Eevee and Riolu cry from either side of him.

"Yamaguchi, Yachi!" Sugawara shouted as he came barreling through the grunts, His Milotic knocking out anyone who got in their way.

"What the crap!" Admin Mika cursed. She knew they were now outclassed. "Pull back!"

Yamaguchi felt himself being gently lifted into a sitting position by someone. It was Sugawara and Daichi. He blinked and as he did so saw Kageyama, Oikawa and Iwaizumi run past.

"If you cross our path again you won't get off so easy next time you annoying little brat!" Admin Mika shouted at Yamaguchi before turning tail and running.

Yamaguchi's blurred vision saw her disappear into the dark as the grunts scattered all around.

"Get back here!" Iwaizumi shouted like a mad man as he, Oikawa, and Kageyama rushed after them.

"Yamaguchi, are you okay?" Sugawara gently asked as he supports the younger trainer. From over his shoulder a very worried Swirlix gave a worried whine.

"I-I Th-Think I'm fine," Yamaguchi coughed as his vision came back to him.

"Those were some pretty strong attacks you took, don't overdo it," Sugawara scolded. "Daichi, carry him!" he then commanded the burlier man.

"I'm f-fine!" Yamaguchi insisted but the next thing he knew he was being lifted onto Daichi's back.

"We should get these two and their Pokemon back to the camp right away," Kiyoko said as she picked Yachi up with surprising strength. The small female trainer was out cold.

Sugawara gave a nod before recalling back all the Pokemon. When he got to Eevee she refused to go in her ball.

"It's okay. Eevee never goes in her ball," Yamaguchi coughed. "Eevee, if you stay out you might have to walk," he said, knowing the small shiny Pokemon hadn't taken much damage in the battle.

Eevee gave a bark, insisting she'd walk rather than go in her ball.

Sugawara gave a small shrug, not wanting to force the issue. With that, they made their way back to the camp. As they walked down the path Yamaguchi couldn't help but wonder if Kageyama and the others were okay. Had they been able to catch Admin Mika and the grunts?

Yamaguchi felt more alert by the time they arrived at his cabin. His body ached and he felt utterly exhausted but he somehow knew he would be fine. Sugawara wasted no time in tending to Yamaguchi's injuries. He grumbled to himself as he removed Yamaguchi's clothes and patched him up. Yamaguchi had no clue that Sugawara had this much experience in first aid.

"Drink some of this," Sugawara insisted as he passed Yamaguchi a bottle of something. He had just finished patching Yamaguchi up. "It's my own concoction made of berry concentrate. It should re-energize you."

Yamaguchi didn't hesitate to down the juice, and as he did so he felt a rush of energy and warmth spread from his stomach to his limbs. He gave a small cough as he handed the empty bottle back to Sugawara. He felt horrible for having troubled everyone so much. He and Yachi never should have wandered alone into the forest at night.

"It's my fault this happened," Yamaguchi deflated, his eyes downcast. "It didn't occur to me that something like this could happen, so I didn't hesitate to take Yachi to our training spot even though it was late."

"Hey, no one is blaming you two for wandering off," Sugawara insisted. "Trainers go into the woods at night every day with no issue. This was just a freak accident."

Yamaguchi felt his stomach do a sickening flip. He seemed to be the king of freak accidents. Perhaps Oikawa was right about him being a magnet for danger.

"Hey, don't look so down," Sugawara said as he gave Yamaguchi a gentle nudge. "You guys were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. At least Iwaizumi was alerted about the thieves, so there is that."

Yamaguchi gave a quiet nod. He didn't really feel much better, and he wished Tsukki was here to sit with him. Sugawara was fine company, but Tsukki always knew how to calm him down. He almost relived the horrible kidnapping incident. Who were these people and why did he keep running into them? Was this the last of Admin Mika or was he bound to run into her again? Yamaguchi didn't know, but he was a little scared.

"Hey, try to get some rest, okay," Sugawara quietly insisted. "Both you and Yachi are safe now, so try and relax. I'm going to go check on the others and will come back to check on you one last time before bed, okay?"

Yamaguchi gave a quiet nod despite not wanting to be left alone. He still felt so scared. Their boss had ordered Admin Mika and the grunts to kidnap him and Yachi as opposed to just killing them. Why was this? He said they could have a use for them, but what? He knew his fears were earational but what if they came back for him tonight? He just didn't feel safe alone. Despite this, he kept quiet as Sugawara left the cabin.

Yamaguchi wanted to cry. Eevee and Swirlix cuddled close to him, since Brionne and Riolu had been taken to the Pokemon center to be cared for leaving just these two as company. Having them around set his heart to ease. They sat on either side of him and Yamaguchi held them both close as he lay in bed.

He wondered where Kageyama was. Was he okay? Was he able to capture any grunts? He was damn lucky Swirlix was able to get to them in time. He made a mental note to give her extra treats tomorrow.

It was when his dex violently shook that he was torn from his thoughts. He nearly jumped out of bed as it vibrated loudly. He sat up a bit as he clumsily juggled it in his hands. As he pressed the on button he noticed that it was just past 11pm, and the next thing he saw was almost 30 missed messages.

He pressed on the notification finding a few messages from Sugawara, one from Kageyama, a few from Kuroo and over 20 from Tsukki. As he scanned the list another missed message from Tsukki popped up. Of course Tsukki and the others would have been alerted to this. It never occurred to him that Sugawara wouldn't have messaged them until now.

He hesitated only a moment before clicking on the missed messages from Tsukki.

Tsukki 8:30 - Hey, did you want to video call tonight?

Tsukki 8:50 - I guess not. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Tsukki 9:30 - We just got a message from Sugawara asking if we knew where you and Yachi are. You better not be making trouble.

Tsukki 9:31 - Just reply to me or one of them so they know you're safe.

Yamauchi felt guilty for having worried Tsukki like this and for having so many people involved in his blunder. Tsukki sent a few more messages along these lines before his tone became more urgent.

Tsukki 9:45 - Yamaguchi, are you okay? Sugawara informed us that Swirlix came to him in a tizzy trying to get him to follow her.

Tsukki 9:50 - Please answer me, Yamaguchi!

Tsukki 10:20 - Yamaguchi, Sugawara informed me that you were in an altercation with some thieves.

Tsukki 10:21 - Did they hurt you?

Tsukki 10:25 - Please answer me when you get the chance.

Tsukki 11:05 - Are you hurt?

Yamaguchi felt an odd mix of guilt for having worried Tsukki and warmth for how much care Tsukki was showing. He didn't know how to reply. He badly wanted to talk with Tsukki, to be with Tsukki, to hold Tsukki until his fears subsided, but at the same time he didn't want to worry Tsukki more. The battle camp was doing wonders for Tsukki, and he didn't want to ruin that. Yamaguchi hesitated as he battled with himself.

Yama 11:15 - Sorry for not replying before, Tsukki. Yachi and I got into a bit of a pickle, but Sugawara and the others helped us out. Don't worry. I'm fine.

Yamaguchi pushed the send button. He may have sustained a few minor injuries so it wasn't too much of a lie. He didn't want to distract Tsukki from his training. He worried Tsukki might leave the camp early if he told him the full truth.

Tsukki 11:16 - I'm happy that you're fine, but I thought I told you to stay out of trouble.

Yamaguchi felt a little irritated by Tsukki's reply. Yamaguchi didn't go looking for trouble ever. It just happened to him from time to time. How come nobody got that.

Yama 11:18 - Hey! Yachi and I stayed on the marked path so it's not like we were trying to find trouble XP

Tsukki 11:20 - Well, no more wandering around alone!

Yama 11:21 - I wasn't alone! Yachi was with me.

Tsukki 11:25 - What were you doing alone with Yachi at night?

Yamaguchi's cheeks with pink.

Yama 11:26 - We had a conversation, jeez!

Tsukki 11:27 - What kind of conversation.

Yama 11:28 - A private one!

There was a long moment of silence. Was Tsukki upset at him? It's not like any of this was his fault. He was probably just overthinking things.

Yama 11:34 - Sorry, Tsukki…

Tsukki 11:34 - For what?

Yamaguchi didn't know how to answer. He probably hadn't upset Tsukki so he just sounded like an idiot.

Tsukki 11:35 - It's late, and you probably need to get some rest. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Yama 11:36 - Okay, Tsukki. I miss you. Good night.

There was another long moment with no reply. Yamaguchi wondered what could be distracting Tsukki at the moment. Or maybe Tsukki didn't know how to answer.

Tsukki 11:40 - Miss you, too. Night.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile. He knew his bruised cheeks were pink. He really did miss Tsukki, now more than ever. If only they weren't so far apart.

With that, Yamaguchi placed his Dex on the side table and snuggled into bed between Eevee and Swirlix. The two Pokemon cuddled up close to their beloved trainers. Knowing Kageyama would be back soon, Yamaguchi didn't bother to turn off the cabin lights. He was utterly exhausted and before he knew it he had fallen fast asleep.

When Kageyama returned around 1am Yamaguchi did not wake up. Kageyama was angry over the night's events. He was pissed that these people had gone after some of the only people he had considered friends. Despite their efforts, they had only been able to capture a few lower-level grunts.

It was late morning when Yamaguchi finally woke up. It was from the sound of the cabin door opening and closing. Yamaguchi released a large yawn as he stretched in bed. His elbow nudged a sleepy Eevee and as he sat up Swirlix rolled off his stomach. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Yamaguchi found himself being greeted by Kageyama holding a tray of food. On either side of him stood Riolu and Brionne, looking as good as new.

"Morning," Yamaguchi greeted with a sleepy grin. He released a small chuckle as his two Pokemon tackled him in a hug. "I'm so happy you two are fine," he hummed as he embraced Brionne and Riolu.

"They were both worried over you," Kageyama grumbled. "They gave Nurse Joy a bit of trouble with their fussing."

"What, is this true?" Yamaguchi scolded, despite being unable to wipe away his smile.

His two Pokemon looked guilty but not sorry by any means. Yamaguchi ruffled both their heads. He had been worried about them as well.

"I brought you breakfast," Kageyama said as he placed the tray of pancakes and eggs on the side table. "You need to eat up and get better," He added awkwardly.

"I'm fine," Yamaguchi insisted as he took the tray and dug in. "I'm assuming they have started camp already?"

Kageyama gave a nod. "If you need to rest…"

"I'm fine to keep going today," Yamaguchi replied before Kageyama could finish.

Kageyama looked unsure. "You'll have to take that up with Sugawara. He seems quite fussy over you and Yachi this morning."

"Is Yachi well?" Yamaguchi asked, recalling how beaten up she had been.

Kageyama gave a small shrug.

"Have you gone to see her?" Yamaguchi followed up, feeling bold for doing so.

Kageyama gave another small shrug before a shake of his head. He looked guilty.

Silence hung between the two as Yamagucih swallowed a bite of pancake.

"She's been worried about you for a while now," Yamaguchi said before taking another bite. He hoped this didn't set Kageyama off. "I don't know what happened between you all, but you should go talk to Yachi. She thinks you hate her."

This seemed to be super effective, as Kageyama looked like he had just stepped on his Pokemon's paw by accident.

"I…" Kageyama started, looked lost. Perhaps he hadn't realized how upset Yachi had been. "I didn't mean to upset her…"

"Well, you should go talk to her and hear her out," Yamaguchi insisted. "I bet it would make her happy and help her feel better."

Kageyama seemed skeptical but he gave a small nod. "I will."

"Promise me you will!"

"I promise," Kageyama said with a small eye roll. "You sound like Sugawara," he mumbled.

Yamaguchi released a small giggle. Sugawara was a great guy, so he took it as a compliment.

The two sat in a more comfortable silence as Yamaguchi finished his pancakes. He shared a few bites with each member of his team. All seemed to be happy to be back together with their trainer.

"Officer Jenny will come back with Iwaizumi and Oikawa soon to get your end of the story," Kageyama said as he took Yamaguchi's empty plate. "So when you're ready, we can go over together."

"Ah I see," Yamaguchi nodded. He wasn't surprised to hear this. It was probably going to be a similar situation to the last time he had a run in with the grunts and had to report it.

Last time he had been so shaken up over the event of almost being kidnapped it had been hard to report what had happened. This time, Yamaguchi was more then ready to tell them everything he could. The previous night was terrifying, but he wasn't going to let something like this happen again to him or any of his friends if he could help it.

Author Notes

Thank goodness Yamaguchi and Yachi were saved! I wonder if Kageyama will really keep is word about seeing Yachi? How does Tsukki really feel about this incident? Will Yamaguchi tell him everything that happened? Why was the Boss so interested in Yamaguchi? Was that all in Yamaguchi's head? This and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all. As always thank you so much for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers so much so please leave a comment of review below. It really does brighten my day to see what you all have to say 3

I'm a bit sick this week so I don't have much more to say. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was one I had been planning to write for a while and I can't believe it took 62 chapters to do so. It makes me wonder how long this fic will be as a whole hahaha. Send help!

Well, I'll see you all next chapter.


	63. The Phone Call

Hey all! Happy Holidays! I don't know how many of you are off for winter holiday but if you are I hope you're able to get some rest. Here is chapter 63 to help you relax and ease into the holiday. Let's see what sort of insanity Yamaguchi will get involved in next.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 63!

The Phone Call

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi and Kageyama headed over to the cafeteria to have a short meeting with an Officer Jenny. Yamaguchi couldn't help but notice the stage hall alive with noise as they passed it. It bummed him out that he'd probably miss the afternoon training today. He didn't want to fall behind again after coming so far.

With Eevee content in his arms, Yamaguchi entered the cafeteria. He found Daichi and Sugawara sitting at a table with Oikawa and Iwaizumi. Kiyoko and Yachi were nowhere to be seen.

Sugawara greeted them with a gentle smile upon seeing them enter. "Good morning you two!" Sugawara greeted with a cheerful smile. "Yamaguchi, how are you feeling today?"

From beside Iwaizumi, Oikawa chose not to acknowledge the two, looking at his tablet instead, but Daichi and Iwaizumi greeted with two with a good morning.

"A little sore, but fine," Yamaguchi nodded, answering Sugawara's question, as he took the empty seat beside Iwaizumi. Yamaguchi couldn't help but wonder if keeping a bit of distance between Oikawa and Kageyama would be best.

Kageyama took the seat across from him. He gave an awkward nod to the group as his greeting.

"It's good to hear you're feeling okay," Daichi said with a smile. "You took quite a beating last night so we were worried."

"I got roughed up a bit, but that berry juice Sugawara gave me fixed me right up," Yamaguchi smiled.

"His berry potion could fix even the worst of injuries," Daichi said with a loud laugh, sounding almost as if he was remembering an incident.

"It's my own secret concoction," Sugawara smiled proudly. "I'm glad it helped you feel better, but just to be sure, maybe you should take one more dose of it," he said as he slid a bottle of the berry potion across the table.

Yamaguchi barely caught it before it slid off the table. Juggling it in his clumsy hands, he mumbled a small "Thank you" before downing it. A bit of juice escaped the bottle and splattered onto his shirt, but Yamaguchi did his best to ignore the blunder.

Oikawa stifled a laugh, causing Kageyama to shoot him a glare and Sugawara to raise a disapproving eyebrow.

"You really are a disaster kid, aren't you?" Oikawa sighed, ignoring both Kageyama and Oikawa.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink. He couldn't help it if bad things tend to happen to him.

"Oikawa," Sugawara warned like a disapproving mother.

"You're the disaster, not Yamaguchi," Kageyama shot back.

"I'm not the one who keeps getting into messes with some evil group," Oikawa shrugged, sneering at Kageyama.

"The assholes that went after Yamaguchi and Yachi wouldn't have even been here if it weren't for whatever it was at the research facility," Kageyama accused.

"Well, that's not my fault that Iwaizumi is studying important things," Oikawa replied hastily.

"So you're blaming me for this?" Iwaizumi grumbled.

Oikawa shrugged and no one else argued the idea. Whoever these people where they did seem to be interested in Iwaizumi's studies. Yamaguchi had no clue what he researched and he honestly didn't want to know at this point. He wanted nothing to do with whatever it was this evil team was after.

Iwaizumi gave a small shrug. It was obvious that the evil team was after his research so no point in denying it. "I guess we'll just have to up security from now on."

Before any more could be said, Officer Jenny entered the cafeteria. She took the empty seat at the end of the table and pulled out a notebook and a pen. She wasted little time in getting the information she needed.

"In the past month or so, this team has become a thorn in our side," Officer Jenny started. "So please, tell me everything that happened last night. Every detail you can think of."

Being the one who was assaulted by the team, Yamaguchi began his explanation. He told them how they were chased and attacked. He told them about how they mentioned securing items. He told them of how the man they called boss wanted them captured alive.

"So you met the man behind the operation!" Officer Jenny gasped. "We've only encountered a few Admins of the group as well as several grunts. Did they address their boss by any name?"

"No," Yamaguchi said with a shake of his head. "They only called him Boss."

"And I assume he too wears a mask just like everyone else on the team?" Officer Jenny asked as she wrote in her notepad.

"Yes, he wore a Seviper mask," Yamaguchi confirmed. Officer Jenny gave a small hum as she wrote down the information.

"Is that all?" Officer Jenny asked, looking to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi felt compelled to also mention how the Boss looked to him with so much want and how he felt like he'd seen the Boss somewhere. He felt like the Boss was after him just as much as the other items they stole from the research lab. This feeling was unfounded and Yamaguchi knew it. Maybe the feeling just came from the fear of the situation. What would an evil team want with him and Yachi anyways? They probably just wanted to avoid murder as much as possible.

"That's all," Yamaguchi said as he shifted in his seat.

Next, Officer Jenny moved onto the others at the table, getting their accounts of the incident. Iwaizumi listed all the items that had gone missing, a few pieces of equipment, some meteorite fragment, and research papers. They talked about how many grunts had been captured and all the Pokemon that had been used against them.

"Thank you for your cooperation today," Officer Jenny said as she finished off her notes. "This team has become a bit of a problem as of recent, so please do take care when traveling. Accounts of their activities have been happening more and more. They are a dangerous group and as you've seen from last night, they are not afraid to attack trainers and Pokemon alike. We will be sending out a general warning all across the region to keep an eye out for this team but it would also be best if you all do not mention what happened tonight to anyone for your own safety."

Yamaguchi felt an odd feeling settle in his stomach. Was this team really becoming this much of a problem? He wanted to believe more than ever that he was in no way connected to the Boss and the rest of this team, but for some reason he felt unsafe. He had run into them more than twice now. Why did this keep happening to him? These concerns settled heavy in his mind but he spoke nothing of them.

With one last farewell, Officer Jenny made her way out of the cafeteria.

"Well, now that that's over, I'm going to head back to the lab to help settle things there," Iwaizumi said as he stood up. "Sorry that you all got mixed up into this mess."

Yamaguchi felt compelled to correct Iwaizumi and blame himself for the events of the previous night, but refrained from doing so. The team was not there for him but for whatever it was that Iwaizumi had in the lab. He had to get this idea straight before it consumed him.

"It was an accident," Sugawara said with a shake of his head. "It's not like we could have predicted this team would strike last night like they did."

"Well with this team at large, you all better watch out while traveling," Iwaizumi sternly said. "Keep clear of research facilities for now since those seem to be their target."

"And I'd advise you to refrain from traveling with freckles here since he also seems to be a target of theirs," Oikawa joked, laughing as he did so.

"They're not after me," Yamaguchi defended, perhaps a bit too aggressively. He was not the target of this team.

"Relax, kid, it was just a joke," Oikawa sighed as he gave Yamaguchi's back a friendly pat.

"You're not funny," Kageyama grumbled.

"Like you have a sense of humor, Tobio," Oikawa sneered.

Kageyama sneered back, ready to take his senpai on here and now.

"Break it up, you two," Iwaizumi cut in. "Let's get out of here before you cause them even more trouble," He said, dragging Oikawa out of the cafeteria.

Yamaguchi watched Oikawa and Iwaizumi leave the cafeteria. Despite how paranoid he felt at the moment, he was not going to let it get to him. So what? He ran into this crazy team a few times but it had all been nothing but coincidence. He'd just have to be careful from now on but he wasn't going to let this stop him from progressing as a showcase contestant. He and his team had come so far in just a few days he wasn't going to let that go to waste.

"Yamaguchi, if you need to rest up a bit more-" Sugawara gently started.

"I'm fine, really," Yamaguchi insisted as he stood from the table. "I'm going to head over to the stage."

Sugawara worked quickly to grab Yamaguchi by the wrist. "You went through quite a bit last night, so a bit more rest would do you well," he insisted sounding very much like a mother.

"I'm fine," Yamaguchi insisted. "I don't need any more rest today."

"I don't need you to overdo it and pass out," Sugawara shot back. "Not under my watch."

Yamaguchi felt compelled to roll his eyes but knew better than to do so. "I promise not to overdo it, but my team and I want to carry on with our training," he insisted, Eevee squeaking in agreement.

Sugawara looked troubled as he glanced to Daichi for support. Daichi only gave him a small shrug. "I suppose you can join in with training, but I'll be watching you and if I think you're overdoing it you'll have to rest," Sugawara ultimately decided. It's not like he was Yamaguchi's actual mother.

"I promise to pace myself," Yamaguchi said as Sugawara released his wrist. Yamaguchi wasn't an idiot. He knew his limits and was smart enough to stop when he needed to, or at least that's what he told himself.

With that argument over, Sugawara and Yamaguchi headed to the auditorium. The majority of the morning training was mostly over. They had discussed stage lighting and do and don'ts of performing on stage. Yamaguchi was disappointed to have missed it but Sugawara promised he'd catch him up on it.

Yachi was still nowhere to be seen. Perhaps last night was a bit too much for her. He hoped she was okay. He'd have to pay her a visit when he found some free time.

Lunch passed by and before Yamaguchi knew it he was on the path up to their routine training area. Yamaguchi was a bit nervous knowing they'd pass by the area where he and Yachi had been attacked. The Boss, Admin Mika, and the grunts were now long gone, but his paranoia was still going strong. Despite this, it didn't scare him as much as he expected. With the sun filtering through the leaves the path seemed like a completely different place from last night.

Sugawara spent a fair amount of the time side-eyeing Yamaguchi in concern. Yamaguchi was well aware of this but chose to ignore it. It was nice to see just how much Sugawara cared for him. He was very much so like a mother hen.

"If you start to feel tired then let me know," Sugawara said to Yamaguchi as they arrived at their training spot.

"Don't worry, I will," Yamaguchi replied for what felt like the 100th time. Sugawara's worrying was touching but was edging on the side of annoying.

"I mean it, Yamaguchi," Sugawara said with a shake of his finger looking more like a mom than ever.

Daichi placed a firm hand on Sugawara's shoulder. "I'm sure Yamaguchi is smart enough not to overdo it," he said with one of his strong father like smiled.

Sugawara's cheeks went pink, perhaps realizing he had gone a bit far with mothering Yamaguchi. "Well, I'll still be watching out for you so…" he mumbled before allowing the topic to be dropped.

"I promise, mom," Yamaguchi joked. This caused Yui and Daichi to laugh while Sugawara went pink in the cheeks. Kageayama seemed confused by the statement.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi called out Riolu. The small blue Pokemon seemed excited to be starting their routine training. Now that she had Aura Sphere under control they could put their full routine into effect.

Kageyama and Eevee watched from the side as the two began their practice. The routine was going well but when they got to the part with Aura Sphere it took a bit longer for Riolu to collect the energy than expected. Twice in a row she almost nailed Yamaguchi with the attack, causing Sugawara to almost have a heart attack both times.

"Perhaps we need to practice executing Aura Sphere a bit faster," Yamaguchi sighed as he gave Riolu's head a pat.

Looking a bit discouraged, Riolu gave a gruff whine.

"It's okay, I'm sure we will get it down perfectly soon," Yamaguchi cooed as he scratched her behind the ear. Eevee gave a small trill of agreement.

"You two have come along so far in such a short amount of time," Kageyama nodded.

The encouragement seemed to do the trick for Riolu gave a small bark of determination. They just had a few more days left of camp. Soon he'd be meeting back up with Tsukki and he wanted nothing more than to have his routine ready to show him before they met up again. It was something he needed to do, even if it didn't make much sense to others.

Feeling a bit tired and knowing Sugawara could see it, Yamaguchi decided to head back to camp early. Sugawara argued to go back with him but ultimately gave in when Kageyama insisted that he would walk back with Yamaguchi. The walk back didn't take long and with the sun still up the path didn't frighten Yamaguchi.

Once back at the camp Yamaguchi made a beeline for Yachi's cabin. He needed to check on her, since he hadn't seen her since last night and couldn't help but worry about her. Upon realizing this Kageyama backed off a bit.

"You don't have to come if you're not ready to talk with her," Yamaguchi said, knowing why Kageyama was so uncomfortable.

"It's not that… I just have something I need to do," Kageyama lied before heading towards his and Yamaguchi's cabin.

Yamaguchi gave a small shrug. Kageyama was horrible at lying, but he wasn't going to force him to talk with Yachi until he was ready.

Once at the cabin, Yamaguchi gave the door a gentle knock. He heard a shuffle from inside and in a matter of seconds he was greeted by Kyoko. Her face when from curious to calm upon seeing who the visitor was.

"Is it alright if I come in?" Yamaguchi asked.

"Sure, I'm sure she will be happy to see you," Kiyoko smiled, stepping aside to help him in.

Yachi was sitting up in her bed. Beside her lay her sleeping Bulbasaur. Using it's long arm to secure itself to the head board, her Drifloon floated lazily over her head, and in her lap sat her tiny Flabébé, fast asleep. Her face brightened with a smile upon seeing Yamaguchi.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Yachi almost cried as Yamaguchi approached the bed.

Kiyoko brought him a chair to sit in so that he could easily talk with Yachi.

"Yeah, I guess you can say I'm used to take beating nowadays," Yamaguchi replied as he took the seat. He released a small sheepish laugh upon seeing Yachi's horror-stricken face.

"Yamaguchi, that's not funny to joke about," Yachi scolded. "Those people almost killed us last night." She gave a small shiver as she recalled the moment.

Yamaguchi felt a bit bad. Yachi must have been horrified by the incident still.

"S-Sorry," Yamaguchi said, bowing his head a bit. "But they're gone now, so there is no need for us to worry."

Yachi gave a quiet nod. She still looked quite troubled. "I guess we are lucky that Kiyoko and the others came just in time."

Yamaguchi nodded in agreement. Who knows where they'd be now if their friends hadn't arrived when they did. He didn't want to know.

Silence hung between the two for a moment. Yachi shifted uncomfortably in her bed as if she was itching to say something. "I… I was wondering," she began, glancing at Yamaguchi for only a moment. "That lady with the Malamar… She seemed to know you. Do you two know each other?"

Yamaguchi wasn't surprised by this question. Admin Mika showed much aggression towards him last night. It must have come as a shock to Yachi.

"Well, sort of," Yamaguchi began. "I accidentally happened upon Admin Mika and a few grunts once in the woods. They had almost kidnapped me that night," he explained, recalling how terrified he'd been.

Yachi looked horrified. "So this was your second time encountering this team?"

Yamaguchi gave a nod. "I always seem to encounter them around the same time I encounter Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They seem to be after his research or something."

Yachi released a worried hum. "Officer Jenny told me to be careful when travelling from now on."

"We were told the same," Yamaguchi nodded. "It seems this team is becoming more confident as of recent."

"I guess we'll have to be careful," Yachi sighed, she looked extremely worried.

"I'm sure with Hinata and Kageyama by your side, you'll be more than safe," Yamaguchi insisted.

"If Kageyama decided to ever talk to me," Yachi whined, and as she did so a knock could he heard from the door.

Kiyoko didn't waste any time in answering it. Yachi gave a small gasp as Kageyama stepped into the room. Yamaguchi couldn't hide his smile.

"Sorry for dropping by so suddenly," Kageyama said, looking extremely guilty.

"Kageyama," Yachi squeaked, on the verge of crying.

"I think you two have a lot to discuss," Kyoko said, looking to the two.

"I better be on my way as well," Yamaguchi nodded, standing up from the chair.

Wanting to allow the two to talk in peace, Yamaguchi and Kiyoko left them to their conversation. Upon exiting the cabin, Kiyoko headed to where her group often practiced their routines, saying she wanted to check in on them. Yamaguchi decided he'd check in with Tsukki since he seemed to have a bit of time on his hands.

He knew it was a long shot, Tsukki being free mid-afternoon but the second he sent a message asking if he was free to talk, Tsukki replied with a quick 'Yes'.

Yamaguchi sat in a chair in front of the camp's PC. The line rang loudly as he waited for Tsukki to reply. He felt oddly nervous. He knew Tsukki must be upset with him after the number of messages he left him last night.

Yamaguchi practically jumped out of his seat when Tsukki picked up the line. Once composing himself he was greeted by Tsukki's cool gaze. He could see Tsukki's amber eyes staring across the screen as if he were examining something carefully. Yamaguchi felt a wash of relief at the sight of his best friend but his heart nearly escaped his chest upon realizing how closely Tsukki was examining him.

"H-Hello, Tsukki," Yamaguchi nervously greeted.

"It's good to see you're doing okay," Tsukishima cooly replied, relaxing in his seat a bit. It seemed Yamaguchi had passed the physical exam.

"I told you I was fine," Yamaguchi giggled. Eevee gave a happy trill as if to emphasize this statement. "You worry too much," he then teased.

"I wasn't worried," Tsukishima grumbled, going pink at being called out. "Besides, what happened to staying out of trouble?"

Yamaguchi couldn't hold back another giggle at seeing Tsukki pout. He never would have guessed his tall brooding friend could be so cute. "I did stay out of trouble," Yamaguchi defended. "It was Iwaizumi's fault for attracting Admin Mika and those grunts."

"Then you're strictly forbidden from hanging out with those two," Tsukishima demanded, his pout still heavy.

"Like I'd ever willingly want to hand around Oikawa," Yamaguchi laughed. That guy was an ass.

"Yeah, he is a pretty big idiot," Tsukishima agreed with one of his nasty smiles.

"But Iwaizumi isn't so bad," Yamaguchi shrugged. He didn't mind the burly researcher's company so much.

"He's also an idiot for attracting such riffraff," Tsukishima disagreed.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi tried to scold but ultimately ended up giggling.

A calm silence hung between the two. Yamaguchi should have known that talking with Tsukki would put him at ease. Tsukki had the strange ability to do that.

"So, what exactly happened?" Tsukishima asked. "How did you end up in trouble yet again?"

"It's not like it was my fault," Yamaguchi defended with a small pout. "Yachi and I were minding our own business walking a very busy path that gets tons of travelers every day."

"Yeah, and…" Tsukishima sent a sceptical look through the screen.

"The path passed by the laboratory Iwaizumi was working at and on our way back to camp we just ran into some grunts," Yamaguchi said in a matter of fact tone. He was unsure if he wanted to go into too much more detail. He didn't want to upset Tsukki.

Tsukishima did not seem satisfied with that answer. "And how exactly did you run into these grunts?"

Yamaguchi opened his mouth to answer but before a single word could leave his mouth he sat horrified as he watched something tackle Tsukki out of his chair. There was a loud bang, as the laughter of Bokuto and Kuroo could he heard from offscreen. The commotion was so sudden that even Eevee sat alert in his lap. The next thing he knew he was being greeted by Hinata.

"Yama! You're okay!" Hinata practically shouted from the other side of the screen. "We heard you and Yachi go into some trouble with some grunts! Is that true? Is Yachi okay? Are you okay?"

A bit overwhelmed, Yamaguchi sat in his chair with his mouth agape and his eyes wide. Once again before he could get a word out, Hinata was shoved from the chair. An explosion of laughter could be heard once again from offscreen as Tsukki reclaimed his seat.

"What is wrong with you?" Tsukishima snapped as he glared at Hinata offscreen.

"Hey, you can't hog the call you jerk. We are all worried about Yama and Yachi!" Hinata barked as he attempted to shove Tsukishima out of the seat.

This time Tsukishima planted his ass firmly. "I don't care! Didn't your mother teach you it is rude to interrupt calls like this?"

"Now, now, children. Can't we all get along?" Kuroo hummed as he took the two boys into his arms.

"Tsukki is being a meanie," Hinata snapped at the same time as Tsukki snapped "Don't touch me."

Yamaguchi couldn't hold it in any longer. He practically fell from his seat at how hard he began to laugh. He couldn't believe how ridiculous Tsukki and Hinata were. Unable to compose himself, his face when red with how hard he was laughing.

"I think we broke Yama-chan," Kuroo said with a large smile.

"Oh no, Yama, don't die!" Hinata cried.

Tsukishima merely frowned, but stopped struggled upon seeing Yamaguchi smile so brightly.

"You guys are just too much," Yamaguchi gasped as he caught his breath.

"Well, it's good to see you're well. We really were worried about you and Yachi," Hinata insisted. "Is she okay?"

"She is a bit shaken, but fine," Yamaguchi nodded.

"And what about those guys who attacked you two?" Kuroo asked.

"A few were caught but it seems most got away.

"Boy if I ever found those guys they better run because I will destroy them!" Bokuto said from somewhere offscreen.

"Yeah, me too!" Hinta chirped in agreement.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes.

Yamaguchi didn't know Bokuto so well, but was touched nonetheless. "Well, I hope I never run into them again," Yamaguchi sighed. He had about all he could take of evil teams and grunts for a lifetime.

"Well we are happy to see that you're fine," Akaashi said from somewhere else offscreen.

"Yeah, if Kageyama and the others had not come when they did, I don't know if I'd be talking with you right now," Yamaguchi sighed.

"Kageyama saved you?" Hinata practically shouted. "I always expected him to be the supervillain."

Yamaguchi laughed at Hinata comment but was more shocked by Tsukishima's reaction. He held a deep frown and averted his eyes from the screen. He seemed quite upset at hearing this, but why?

"Well, it wasn't just Kageyama," Yamaguchi clarified. "Sugawara, Daichi, Iwaizumi and even Oikawa came to the rescue so…"

"Well, we're happy you're safe and sound. Yama-chan," Kuroo hummed. "I bet Tsukki is just itching to reunite with you even more now."

Yamaguchi cheeks went bright red as Kuroo sent him a cheeky smile. Tsukishima, on the other hand, looked as if he could kill the older trainer.

"W-Well, I-I've kept you all long enough," Yamaguchi stutterd, far too embarrassed to carry on the conversation. "And I have to start preparing dinner so…"

"It's a relief to see you're well," Kuroo said with a nod.

"Take care of yourself, Yama," Hinata chirped. "And tell Yachi to call me when she can!"

"No more getting into trouble," Tsukishima mumbled.

Yamaguchi itched to argue back with Tsukki but thought better of it. The last thing he needed was more teasing from Kuroo. "See you all soon," Yamaguchi replied. His eyes lingered on Tsukki.

"Bye!" Came the unison cry of everyone on the other line.

He could tell Tsukki was studying him closely but before Yamaguchi knew it the screen went blank and he suddenly started to miss Tsukki once again.

Author Note:

Well now, this evil team seems to be quite the problem. Will they be a thorn in Yamaguchi and Tsukki's side or have we seen the last of them? Why does the Boss spook Yamaguchi so? Will we ever find out what they are after? Will Yamaguchi and Riolu get their routine down soon? That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned.

Hey all. As always, thank you so much for the likes, follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all do please leave a comment or review.

I'm unsure if next week's chapter will be up in time. It all really depends on the holiday and availability. That being said Happy Holidays to everyone and Happy New Year in case I don't get another chapter up before 2020.

I don't have much more to say so I hope you all take care and see you next chapter.


	64. The Final Day

Hey readers! Happy New Year! Are you ready for 2020? Why not celebrate the end of 2019 with this exciting chapter. Where I live it is already New Year's Eve so this is literally one of the last things I'm doing to send off 2019. I feel like this chapter is the perfect way to end 2019 for this fic and next chapter will be perfect for starting the new year. I hope you enjoy chapter 64.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Chapter 64, I choose you!

The Final Day

Yamaguchi and the others whipped up a wonderful berry pasta curry that evening that Yamaguchi had come up with a few months ago while traveling with Tsukki. The meal reminded him of how much he missed being with his best friend, and how the mere thought of Tsukki made his heart flutter. Talking with him on the PC was good and all but it was nothing compared to being with him in person. At the same time, he didn't know if his heart could handle speaking with him in person without revealing how he truly felt.

He had a sinking feeling that the moment he reunited with Tsukki he'd not be able to hold himself back. What if Tsukki didn't feel the same way? What if he scared Tsukki away? What if Tsukki never talked with him again? Yamaguchi knew these ideas were absurd. Even if Tsukki didn't like him back romantically, Tsukki was far too logical to cut him off completely like that.

At the same time, Yamaguchi couldn't help but get the feeling that Tsukki did like him back. He caught Tsukki's eyes following him for a while now and the way Tsukki is so gentle with him, it had to be more than just a feeling of friendship, right? That's why Yamaguchi made up his mind.

Yamaguchi was not going to meet back up with Tsukki until he and Riolu had mastered this routine. He needed more to show when reuniting with Tsukki. He needed to prove that he had grown and was worthy of a relationship with his best friend. He knew Tsukki would call him silly for thinking like that, but Yamaguchi had decided for himself, not for Tsukki. That was why Yamaguchi made sure to find a seat with Sugawara once dinner was served.

"Wow, I totally expected you to avoid me after mothering you so much today," Sugawara joked as Yamaguchi took a seat next to him. The others at the table were Daichi, Yaku, and Noya. Kageyama had surprisingly decided to sit with Yachi, and Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel happy for the two of them.

"I have a request," Yamaguchi began, catching the curiosity of everyone at the table. "Well, maybe it's more of a question…" He corrected.

"What is your question?" Sugawara asked.

"I was wondering if you'd know of any showcases that might be happening in the next few days?" Yamaguchi asked.

Everyone at the table seemed a bit surprised by the question. Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink from all their staring.

"Getting right into the fray after a long training week," Noya cheered. "That's what I like to see!"

Yamaguchi smiled at his enthusiasm.

"There are bound to be several I'm sure," Sugawara hummed in thought. "How about after dinner we take a look to see what is coming up."

"If that's not a problem…" Yamaguchi nodded.

"None at all. Anything to help one of my favorite new students," Sugawara smiled.

"Th-Thank you," Yamaguchi blushed. Being complimented by Sugawara set his heart aflutter. The man was as beautiful as an angel.

After dinner, the two contestants, along with Daichi and Kageyama, headed to the Camp PC to research upcoming contests.

"I promise this won't take long," Yamaguchi told Kageyama. "Then we can get to battle training."

"Take your time," Kageyama nodded as he took a seat on the couch by Daichi.

Yamaguchi dragged a chair to the PC to sit beside Sugawara. With a few clicks of the mouse, Sugawara pulled up the showcase calendar. He went through the list of upcoming showcases trying to find ones that were close to were camp was located.

"Hey, it looks like there will be one in about four days just outside Shalour city," Sugawara said, scooting over a bit so Yamaguchi could see the details.

Yamaguchi scanned the information. It seemed like a basic contest. Upon reading it, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed by its description. Then, something caught his eye. A banner for another contest flashed just below the Shalour city's contest banner. Yamaguchi's eyes shone as he examined the banner. Pictures of pokemon fossils decorated the banner for the prehistoric themed contest. At that moment Yamaguchi knew this had to be his next contest, it just had to.

"What about this one?" Yamaguchi gasped as he clicked on the banner.

"Oh, well that one is kind of a specialty contest celebrating paleontology and ancient Pokemon," Sugawara said, his tone unsure. "It's a bit far from here."

As Yamaguchi read the description he couldn't help but whisper aloud "It's perfect." Not only did the winner get a key, but it looked as if they would get some sort of grand prize. What could the grand prize be? Maybe a behind-the-scenes trip to a museum or an invitation to a fossil dig? Regardless, Yamaguchi's mind was set.

"You never really struck me as a fossil kind of guy," Sugawara hummed.

"With Tsukki as my best friend, I know practically everything there is to know about fossil Pokemon," Yamaguchi bragged.

"Well in that case maybe this contest is one you should try," Sugawara said with one of his bright smiles.

The two read the rest of the description. It looked as if the contest would take place in Ambrette Town just two days after camp had ended. Sugawara had mentioned the location being a bit far away. He wondered if he'd be able to make it there by foot in just two days.

Perhaps seeing the trouble in Yamaguchi's eyes, Sugawara gave him a light pat on the back. "If you have your heart set on this contest I'm sure we can work something out to get you down there in time."

"A-And Tsukki…" Yamaguchi mumbled wanting nothing more than for Tsukki to see him in person.

"I'm sure we can work something out for him to arrive there as well," Sugawara said with one of his bright angelic smiles.

Yamaguchi felt overwhelmed with gratitude. Sugawara was far too kind and Yamaguchi didn't feel in the least bit wrothy. "Th-Thank you!"

"Anything for one of my favorite contestants," Sugawara laughed as he ruffled Yamaguchi's hair affectionately.

Yamaguchi really was lucky to have met so many kind people on this journey. Once they got the details ironed out, he'd have to tell Tsukki about his decision. He hoped Tsukki didn't mind waiting a bit longer to reunite.

"So, did you and Sugawara find a suitable Showcase for you to join?" Kageyama asked as the two headed towards the battle field for a bit of practice.

"Sure did!" Yamaguchi practically cheered. "It's a fossil Pokemon themed showcase taking place in Ambrette Town." Yamaguchi couldn't contain his excitement. Yamaguchi knew this was the perfect setting to win his next ribbon and confess his love to Tsukki.

"That's good to hear," Kageyama replied with a sad smile.

Yamaguchi couldn't ignore the sadness he saw in Kageyama's eyes. "How about you, Kageyama?" He asked, his tone much calmer now. "If you're thinking of going off alone again-"

"I talked with Yachi," Kageyama cut in. "I am going to join back with her. She insists I talk it out with Hinata."

Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile softly. He was happy for the three. He hoped they'd be able to work it out. "That's good to hear. I bet Yachi is super happy to have you back."

"I guess," Kageyama shrugged, blushing a bit.

"It was really great doing all this training with you, Kageyama," Yamaguchi admitted. "Thank you for everything. I'm going to miss having you around," he said with a small laugh at the end.

For some reason, Kageyama's cheeks went bright red. He looked as if he was going to explode. "I-It was nothing," he stuttered. "I-I'm sure we'll meet up with each other plenty more in the future."

"With the number of times I've run into Hinata and Yachi, I'd expect we'd see each other maybe once a week," Yamaguchi joked.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Kageyama hummed.

Kageyama seemed lost in thought as the two arrived at the battlefield. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel a loneliness coming off of Kageyama. Why did he seem so sad? Maybe he was sad camp was almost over? It had been so much fun, despite almost being kidnapped a day ago.

"Well, what will we practice today?" Yamaguchi asked, deciding to turn the conversation away from their parting.

"How about we just have ourselves a good old battle?" Kageyama suggested. "Show me all you've learned!"

Nodding, Yamaguchi squared off against Kageyama. Despite his misadventures last night, he felt a fire burning within him. He was ready to move forward more than ever.

The next morning was his last day at camp, and he knew he needed to contact Tsukki about not coming to meet with him tomorrow. He'd made arrangements to stay with Sugawara until the Showcase in Ambrette Town. He felt bad imposing like this but Sugawara seemed more than excited to have him around longer. Yamaguchi just wondered if Tsukki would be upset at him for prolonging their meeting.

Before breakfast, he sent a message letting Tsukki know he wanted to talk with him before the day's events started. Fortunately, Tsukki replied saying he'd be free, so after breakfast Yamaguchi found himself in front of the computer waiting for Tsukishima to pick up on his end of the line.

With a static click, Tsukishima's face popped into existence. Upon seeing his best friend Yamaguchi felt a wave of nervous energy run through him. He was excited about his upcoming showcase but wanted so badly to be with Tsukki yet again. He wondered how Tsukki felt.

"Hey," Yamaguchi greeted, his voice weaker then he meant for it to be.

"What's up?" Tsukishima asked not missing how awkward his friend was behaving.

"I just wanted to talk to you about tomorrow, since it's our final day at camp and all," Yamaguchi started.

Tsukishima gave a quiet nod, waiting for Yamaguchi to elaborate.

"Right…" Yamaguchi signed more to himself then to Tsukki as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Tomorrow I won't be meeting up with you."

Tsukishima's eyes grew wide in what seemed to be shock. His head tilted to the side in mild confusion.

Quickly Yamaguchi shook his head realizing that it had come out wrong. "What I meant to say is, I won't meet up with you until after I have performed at my next Showcase."

"Okay…" Tsukishima replied, still looking a bit lost and confused. "And when would that be?"

Yamaguchi felt his cheek go pink. Why was he so bad with words. "It will be in Ambrette Town in two days from tomorrow," he explained doing his best to keep his head on his shoulders. "And you have to come and see it, okay!"

Tsukishima once more looked a bit shocked but this time his eyes held interest. "Ambrette Town… It's a bit far from here" he hummed. Yamaguchi knew Tsukki was familiar with the town, since it was known for fossils in Kalos.

"Y-Yeah," Yamaguchi stuttered. "Sugawara said he could get you a ride there so please come." Was he sounding too desperate? "I would like you to see my new routine," he quietly added. He also had something he needed to tell Tsukki.

Tsukishima didn't seem to think long before answering with a "Yeah, I suppose I can make it." He sent Yamaguchi one of his antagonistic smiles before adding "What's got you all flustered?"

Yamaguchi went beet red at this. Was he really that obvious? "I-I don't know what you're talking about!" He shot back, doing his best to collect his dignity. He wanted so badly to be with Tsukki once more. It was hard to control his feelings.

Tsukishima silently studied him from the other side of the screen. He seemed to enjoy the pink on Yamaguchi's cheeks.

Yamaguchi didn't like being studied to closely. With a sudden rush of adrenaline he shouted. "That's all I needed to tell you! Sugawara will contact you with travel details!"

Before Tsukki could reply Yamaguchi hung up the call. The last thing he saw was Tsukki's shocked eyes gazing at him. Yamaguchi stared at the computer screen. His heart was racing a bit. He hoped Tsukki wasn't upset.

A bit shaky from the rush of adrenaline, he stood from the seat and headed over to the performance hall for their last training exercise. He didn't want to be late.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi's heart was beating normally and his jitters had subsided. Once at the hall he took a seat next to Kageyama. He had made it just in time for the lesson.

The last day of camp was everything Yamaguchi could have asked for and more. For the morning practice everyone was in good spirits and excitement for the future filled the air. The final class was a free for all where everyone was able to share their ideas and ask questions to help tie up loose ends. Questions were asked and excitement-heightened laughter filled the auditorium. Even Kageyama and Yachi spoke freely to one another as if they had never been in any sort of argument days prior. Yamaguchi felt blessed to have met such a wonderful support group.

In the afternoon, Yamaguchi and Riolu gave it their all as they practiced their routine once more. Each trainer and Pokemon took turns performing, and for the first time Yamaguchi and Riolu were able to get the moves down almost perfect.

"Wow, in such a short amount of time you and your team have grown so much," Yui said as Yamaguchi and Riolu took a bow.

"I'm just lucky to have such amazing Pokemon by my side," Yamaguchi replied, bushing from the compliment. He couldn't help but feel proud of his and Riolu's hard work.

"It's more than just luck! Hard work and talent are a big factor as well," Sugawara said with one of his large shining smiles. "I'm so proud of you."

This caused Yamaguchi's cheeks to go from pink to red.

"Oh, Suga, always proud of his adopted children," Daichi joked, causing the group to dissolve into laughter.

"Only the best of the best kids for me," Sugawara said proudly as he gave Yamaguchi's back a hard pat.

The afternoon carried on pleasantly. Yamaguchi felt his heart filled with joy and warmth, surrounded by so many people who not only cared but shared similar passion to his own. He was sad that the camp was almost over but the prospect of seeing Tsukki soon took the edge off their parting.

For dinner Yamaguchi and the other's whipped up a scrumptious barbeque outside. Music played while Yamaguchi and Sugawara manned the grill, passing out food to anyone who passed by. Jokes and laughter filled the evening as the sun set and the stars came out. Yamaguchi wished the night could last forever.

It was almost midnight once Yamaguchi and Kegeyama arrived back at their cabin. They were both exhausted but filled with warm satisfaction from the nights events. Yamaguchi felt fortunate to have grown so close to the grumpy awkward trainer in this short time. Kageyama had really played a key role in helping him grow so much in just a week.

"I can't believe today is the last day," Yamaguchi sighed as he sat beside Kageyama in their bed. "It feels like we just arrived here yesterday."

Kageyama gave a quiet nod of agreement. His cheeks were pink as he glanced Yamaguchi's way.

"I want to thank you, Kageyama, for all you've done for me this week," Yamaguchi carried on as he relaxed into his side of the bed.

"I didn't really do anything," Kageyama grumbled.

"If it wasn't for our nightly battle training, I don't think I'd be where I am now," Yamaguchi pointed out, looking to Kageyama with insistent eyes.

"It's all because you're a hard worker," Kageyama retorted, his cheeks still pink from the way Yamaguchi looked to him with such ernest.

Yamaguchi smiled softly. His long fingers stroked Eevee's mane as she slept beside him. "You need to give yourself more credit," he laughed as he studied Kageyama.

"You're one to talk," Kageyama accused, glancing to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi stifled a giggle. "Touché. I guess we both need to work on that."

Kageyama shifted stiffly in his spot at the sound of Yamaguchi's giggle. The light sound sent an odd flutter through his normally tight chest.

"So, you'll be heading off with Yachi tomorrow?" Yamaguchi asked, relaxing against the headboard.

Kageyama gave a quiet nodded. "What will you do? Meet back up with Tsukishima?" he asked, his tone soune stiff at the question.

"Well, I'll travel with Sugawara for a few days but will eventually meet with Tsukki in Ambrette Town," Yamaguchi explained, his tone relaxed and a bit wistful at the thought of meeting back with Tsukki.

A moment of silence filled the air. While Yamaguchi may have been relaxed something stirred in Kageyama at the mention of Yamaguchi meeting back with Tsukishima. "I would have expected you two to meet back here to take on the Gym," he grumbled, trying to ignore the odd feeling swirling in his chest.

"There is a showcase in Ambrette Town that I have to participate in. I didn't give Tsukki a choice," Yamaguchi replied with a giggle.

As far as Kageyama was concerned, Yamaguchi's soft laugh could heal any wound. He hated Tsukishima for keeping it all to himself.

"So you'll be joining back up with Yachi and Hinata," Yamaguchi repeated, unaware of the war taking place in Kageyama's chest. "Things are bound to get lively for you three once back together."

Kageyama gave a quiet nod of confirmation causing Yamaguchi to smile brightly.

"Yachi is probably so happy to have you back by her side." A soft giggle escaped Yamaguchi's throat once more. "I'm happy you guys were able to patch things up."

Kageyama was happy too but at the moment he was too focused on the way Yamaguchi's smile made him feel to really focus on anything else.

"Well, we should probably get to sleep," Yamaguchi sighed as he settled into his side of the bed. "We have to be packed up and ready to go early tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah," Kageyama replied absentmindedly. As he too lay fully down in bed he became acutely aware of how warm the bed was with Yamaguchi laying next to him.

"I'm sad that camp has ended, but I'm also so ready to move forward," Yamaguchi sighed speaking his thoughts aloud. Exhausted and filled with the prospect of tomorrow his heavy eyelids fluttered shut.

Kageyama lay stiff beside Yamaguchi, still too focused on the warmth of the bed to succumb to sleep. Rolling a bit he faced Yamaguchi to find the other facing him as well. The freckled trainer had fallen asleep in a matter of seconds. A small smile graced Yamaguchi's lips as he rhythmically breathed. With the moonlight filtering through the window, Yamaguchi's freckled cheeks looked smooth and soft and for reasons he couldn't understand, Kageyama wanted to reach out and brush them with his fingers.

As Kageayama studied Yamaguchi peacefully sleeping beside him he suddenly became aware of what these feelings were. Love was something new for Kageyama and he didn't know what to make of it. As he rolled onto his back, he couldn't help but wonder why life was so cruel.

Author Note:

Well, no better way to end 2019 then with making Kageyama sad. Hahaha... Oops. I never intended to hurt him this badly. I wonder if he will ever reveal his newly found feelings to Yamaguchi? What will this development do to the already blooming Tsukkiyama romance? Will both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima make it to Ambrette Town in time for the showcase? Will Yamaguchi be able to win his next key? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all! I hope you are all having a great New Year's Eve/New Year. While I am not born the year of the rat my favorite animal are rats so 2020 is bound to be a good year. I was born the year of the dragon, rawr! I want to thank you all for hanging around reading this fic for so long. The fic is about the hit the two year point now that its 2020. I can't belive it's been going this long and I hope that you all still enjoy it into 2020. My resolution for 2020 is to keep up with this fic no matter what and also have better spending habits hahaha. (I feel like keeping up with this fic will be easier then the spending habits thing :P) Do you have a resolution?

I want to thank everyone for the kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all so if you have time, please leave a comment or review down below and let me know your thoughts.

This past week I've been on holiday and have been able to write so many chapters for this fic. I'm so excited for the upcoming events so I hope your ready for some game changing.

Anyways, I hope you all have a happy New Year. Stay safe to anyone who is going out to party and see you next chapter!


	65. On the Road to Ambrette Town

Hey peeps! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying 2020. What's not to like about the year of the rat!? Anyways, it is finally time for our two boys to break from their camps and meet back up again. Let's find out what awaits them!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Chapter 65, I choose you!

On the Road to Ambrette Town

The next morning Yamaguchi woke feeling refreshed. He had a warm drive that spread through his body making it surprisingly easy for him to wake up the next morning. He found himself alone in the bed with the sound of the shower running. He worked quickly to dress and pack up his things. They'd all have one last breakfast together before everyone went on their ways, and Yamaguchi had agreed to help with breakfast preparations.

Not wanting to be late to the kitchen, he gathered his things and left before Kageyama had emerged from the shower. With his backpack on his back and Eevee in his arms he headed to the kitchen. Once he got there he was greeted by Yachi and Sugawara. They had all "volunteered" to make the final breakfast. In reality, Yamaguchi had been pressured into making the last meal they'd all eat together but he didn't mind.

"Good morning, Yamaguchi," Yachi greeted brightly. She wore an adorable pink apron and wore a large smile upon her face.

"Good to see we didn't have to drag you out of bed," Sugawara joked with one of his large warm smiles.

"Morning!" Yamaguchi greeted with a bright smile of his own.

"So, what's on the menu for today?" Sugawara asked, addressing Yamaguchi as if he were a top chef.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink as he and Yachi stifled their giggles.

"I was thinking maybe pancakes and berries. Something easy but still delicious," Yamaguchi hummed. Pancakes were also what he had used to lure in Riolu all those years ago and he thought they'd be a great way to celebrate how far they'd come.

"Oh, I love pancakes," Yachi cheered.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Sugawara nodded.

The kitchen filled with laughter as the three got to work. Yachi and Sugawara cut up berries as Yamaguchi cooked them down to make a fresh homemade berry sauce to top the pancakes. The kitchen was warm and bright, and before long others joined in on the laughter. Noya and Yakui helped with cleaning the dishes while Kageyama and Daichi carried on cutting more berries. Yamaguchi and Yachi took to flipping the cakes while Sugawara expedited everyone around him. Yamaguchi couldn't think of a better way to end the camp then to laugh amongst the new friends he had made.

The pancakes were a hit and the perfect way to celebrate a job well done. The cleanup was simple so more time could be spent chatting around the table.

"Kageyama and I will stay here and rejoin with Hinata so he can try to take on the Shalour Gym once more," Yachi explained to the group of people at their table as they all shared their plans.

"I'll be heading up north for a contest that will be taking place in a week," Noya said between large mouthfuls of pancakes. "That key is as good as mine!"

"Not if I win it," Yaku challenged, who also planned to attend the same Showcase.

Laughter erupted at the table. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel the joy spread in the room. He hoped Tsukki had been able to connect with others like this at his camp too.

Breakfast ended far sooner than anyone wanted it to. Goodbyes were drawn out and long. No one wanted to part but they had only reserved the camp until the morning and had no choice but to leave.

As Noya and Yaku headed off down the path Yamaguchi readied himself to part as well. He waved the two goodbye and thanked Yaku once more for having brought him to the camp to begin with.

"I'm going to miss you, Yamaguchi," Yachi cried as he tackled him into a hug. "I wish you the best of luck at the Ambrette Town Showcase! I know you're going to take the key home this time."

"I don't plan on losing," Yamaguchi nodded as he hugged her back.

"I also wish you the best of luck with Tsukki," She whispered into his ear.

Yamaguchi's heart did a flip as his face went red. He stumbled over his words as Yachi pulled away from the hug, sending him a wink.

"You'll have to let me know how it goes," Yachi said with a cheeky smile.

"Yachi!" Yamaguchi whined, doing his best to fight the red in his cheeks. He then turned his attention to Kageyama.

The dark-haired trainer had been stiff and distant all morning. Perhaps he wasn't so good with goodbyes. Yamaguchi was sad to part with him. In their short time together, Kageyama had really grown on him.

"Thanks again for everything you've done for me," Yamaguchi said, sending him a genuine smile.

Kageyama's cheeks went pink as he looked like he was about to puke. He gave a nod then a shake of his head. "I didn't do much."

"Don't be so modest, Kageyama," Yamaguchi joked, giving Kageyama's shoulder a nudge. "I'll miss our nighttime battle training. I hope it wasn't too much trouble for you."

"It was my pleasure to have helped you. I had a great time doing it," Kageyama admitted, still stiff as ever.

"Promise me you'll keep in touch?" Yamaguchi asked, his smile gentle.

"O-Of course," Kegayama choked, his stony facade breaking under Yamaguchi's soft glow.

"Well, I'll see you two around then," Yamaguchi sighed, stepping back a bit as he gave a small wave.

"We'll miss you, Yamaguchi," Yachi replied as she fought back tears.

"We'll miss your cooking," Kageyama added, this winning him a sloppy laugh from Yachi.

"Next time we meet, I'll be sure to cook up a good meal," Yamaguchi promised as he too giggled at the comment.

There was a strange longing in Kageyama's eyes as he looked over Yamaguchi once more. Yamaguchi caught it but didn't know what to make of it. He never took Kageyama as the type to be bad with parting like this, but you learn new things every day.

With that Kageyama and Yachi headed off down the path back to Shalour city. Once they were out of view Yamaguchi headed to where Sugawara was waiting for him. He stood with Daichi, who was bidding his farewell to the dusty-haired trainer.

"Now you make sure you're eating well and let me know when you arrive back home," Sugawara went off on both Daichi and Asahi.

"Yes, mom," Asahi said with a roll of her eyes.

"And we promise not to talk with any strangers," Daichi added with an exaggerated eye roll of his own.

"Hey, don't take that tone with me," Sugawara warned with a scowl.

It was when Yamaguchi came up beside him that the three melted into laughter.

"Sorry to make you wait," Yamaguchi said, joining the three.

"No problem," Sugawara said with a shake of his head. "I was just saying bye to these two bozos here."

"Hey!" Asahi whined, only for Sugawara to laugh.

Asahi and Daichi bid their farewell before heading off into the forest.

"I invited Daichi to come along with us, but he has Gym duties to get back to," Sugawara sighed as his two friends disappeared into the trees.

"Sorry to make you go out of your way like this," Yamaguchi said, shuffling his feet a bit.

"Nonsense," Sugawara replied, giving Yamaguchi's back a strong pat. "I'm actually really looking forward to the showcase. I can't wait to see that routine on a lit stage."

"I'll do my best to win that key," Yamaguchi promised with determination.

"I pity anyone who has to go up against you," Sugawara praised. "You're becoming a formidable opponent."

Yamaguchi's cheeks flushed with pride. He hoped more than ever to live up to Sugawara's high expectations. This next showcase was going to be his and he was going to win that key and confess his feeling to Tsukki.

Several miles north of their camp another trainer was also parting ways with his campmates. Or that's what Tsukishima thought was on today's agenda. He frowned as he watched Hinata and Lev sprint off down the path into the woods. Following the two at a slower pace was Kenma. From beside Tsukki, Bokuto was shouting his farewells to the three as they disappeared.

Tsukishima had thought his time with these insane people ended today but because of Yamaguchi's little stunt of wanting to meet up in Ambrette Town, he was cursed to spend several more days with Kuroo and Bokuto.

"Well now, shall we head on out as well?" Kuroo asked from the other side of Tsukishima.

"None of you need to come with me to Ambrette Town," Tsukishima deadpanned. "I'm fine on my own."

"Nonsense, Tsukki," Kuroo hummed as he got into the tall blond's bubble. "We both know it's impossible for you to walk all the way to Ambrette Town in just two days."

"That's why we can just take my car," Bokuto cheered as he punched the air with excitement. "Road trip!"

"Walking would be a lot less headache-inducing," Tsukishima grumbled as his patient began to wear thin.

"But if you're late to the showcase, poor Yamaguchi would be disappointed," Kuroo swooned.

How dare he use Tsukishima's weakness against him? He knew that even if he left yesterday on foot he'd be cutting it far too close to the Showcase Yamaguchi insisted he see. Why was Yamaguchi so insistent about participating in this particular showcase? Tsukishima hadn't spoken a word with him since their last call. Even when he sent Yamaguchi a message he'd only get a short reply. What was going through Yamaguchi's mind? All Tsukishima wanted was to be back by Yamaguchi's side and as far away from everyone else as he possibly could.

"I don't see why you're so insistent on coming along and seeing Yamaguchi's showcase," Tsukishima grumbled shooting Bokuto an accusatory look. "You barely even know Yamaguchi."

"Is it so bad that I want to support the love interest of my top protégé," Bokuto swooned, getting far too close to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima just scowled. "I'm not your protégé!"

Tsukishima's deadpan respond didn't seem to deter Bokuto. "Besides, you need my car to get there on time and there is nothing I love more than a road trip," He hooted once more.

This did little to convince Tsukishima that taking them along was a good idea. If Bokuto didn't reign it in around Yamaguchi, Tsukishima would be sure to knock some sense into him.

"With the way Sugawara talks about Yamaguchi's improvements in the week I'm looking forward to seeing his performance," Kuroo sighed with a proud smile. "I remember when I first met you two and he was a shy mess. Who'd think he'd grow up so fast."

"Oh shut up," Tsukishima snapped. "Like you've known him much longer then Bokuto."

"Tsukki, never wanting to share Yamaguchi with others," Kuroo teased.

"Hinata was right," Bokuto piped in. "You are stingy when it comes to Yamaguchi."

Tsukishima gelt his eye twitch. How dare they talk about him and Yamaguchi like that. He wasn't stingy at all when it came to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi was allowed to talk with and be with whoever he wanted even if it did boil his blood sometimes. Tsukishima scowled deeper as the thought of Kageyama. At least Yamaguchi and Kageyama parted ways today. That dumbass better not have done anything to Yamaguchi.

"If you guys are ready we should probably hit the road," Akaashi calmy piped in. "We have quite a ways to go and we wouldn't want to be late."

"I'm driving!" Bokuto shouted.

"I call shotgun," Kuroo declared just as loudly.

Tsukishima didn't argue. Taking the back with Akaashi sounded like the best outcome if he was being honest.

Bokuto's SUV was roomy and took to the back roads just fine. Bokuto and Kuroo listened to music that was far too loud. They talked boisterously about this and that from the front seat, while Akaashi and Tsukishima quietly sat in the back. The ride was bumpy and even with his headphones on and his music turned up Tsukishima could hear the loud laughs of the two in front. As Tsukishima looked out the window at the passing scenery he swore he'd bop Yamaguchi on the head for prolonging his torture with those two idiots.

The drive to Ambrette Town for Yamaguchi and Sugawara was much quieter. They drove a small car that Sugawara had rented for the weekend. Calm music played as the two discussed this and that. It was calm and relaxing to say the least and a great way to calm down after such an exciting morning.

Yamaguchi missed everyone already, even though they had only just parted. He wondered how Kageyama and Yachi were doing. He thought of Noya and Yaku and wondered if they were still racing each other down the path. It had been so much fun to get to know everyone in the past week, but his heart swelled with the excitement of seeing Tsukki again so soon.

"So, is there any reason why you're so adamant about participating in Ambrette Town's showcase?" Sugawara asked, not averting his eyes from the road as he did so.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink. Participating in a fossil themed showcase, winning it's key and then confessing his feelings to Tsukki, it was just so romantic in his head. "Fossils are just something I enjoy," he half lied, he really did enjoy the subject thanks to Tsukki.

"Hmm?" Sugawara hummed, not missing the blush on Yamaguchi's cheeks. "I take it you're excited to see Tsukishima again," he guessed correctly.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went red. "I know it's only been a week but it feels like we've been apart so much longer."

"Well, I bet he's going to be just as happy to see you too," Sugawara snickered. "From what Kuroo says, he seems to miss you."

"Tsukki talked about me to Kuroo?" Yamaguchi cheeks were almost as red as a Pikachu's cheeks. Could Tsukki be pining for him just as much as he was pining for Tsukki?

Sugawara gave a small shrug as he giggled at his travel companion's reaction.

Steam released from Yamaguchi's ears from the embarrassment he felt. "S-Stop teasing me like that," he whined. He knew he wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Sorry, it's not my fault you're cute when shy," Sugawara laughed.

Yamaguchi pouted through his blush, his freckled cheeks puffing out as he did so.

This only caused Sugawara to laugh more. "Sorry, sorry. I'll stop teasing you," he gave in, still chuckling at his cute travel companion.

Yamaguchi didn't realize how cruel Sugawara could be. The way he picked on Asahi should have tipped him off. But he knew Sugawara meant no harm in his teasing.

"So, are you ready to show what you got on stage?" Sugawara asked, changing the subject.

"You bet I am," Yamaguchi replied, determination in his eyes. He honestly felt polished and ready for this showcase.

"That's what I like to hear," Sugawara smiled. "You go and blow everyone away."

Yamaguchi nodded as he gazed at the road ahead of them. He'd captivate Tsukki and make sure he couldn't look away from him!

Author Notes:

Our two protagonists are about to meet up once more. Will Yamaguchi win his key? Will he be able to confess to Tsukki? What will Tsukki think if Yamaguchi confesses? What other shenanigans awaits them in Ambrette Town? Stay tuned to find out this and more!

Looks like the holidays season is over. Do you guys have any new year resolution. I have a few but one of them is to keep up with this fic. I was able to write several chapters for this fic over my Christmas/New Years holiday so you can rest assured that the content will still be flowing smoothly! Keep an eye out for Chapter 66 same time next week!

Hey all! As always thank you all so so so much for the likes, follows, kudos, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers so please leave a comment down below and let me know what you think!

See you next chapter!


	66. Ambrette Town

Hey all! I hope you're ready for chapter 66. Consider this one last chapter before things pick up again. What sort of craziness will Tsukki and Yama get involved in today? Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 66!

Ambrette Town

It was late in the night when Yamaguchi and Sugawara arrived in Ambrette Town. The two returned the car to a rental stop before heading to Hotel Ambrette, the only hotel in the small town besides the Pokemon Center hostel. Since Sugawara was one of the front-runners for the Kalos King title, he was able to snag them a room for the few days they'd be spending in Ambrette Town.

The hotel was beautiful and located right next to a cliff that overlooked the sea. Their room was on the second floor and overlooked the ocean. While Yamaguchi could not see much in the dark of the night, he could hear the crashing of the waves on the cliff and smell the salty sea air. It reminded him of his home in Alola for a moment.

"You going to head to bed soon?" Sugawara asked as he settled himself on one side of the room.

Despite the hotel being busy with people coming in for the upcoming showcase, they were lucky enough to score a room with two twin beds. Yamaguchi wondered if this had anything to do with Sugawara's fame. He wondered if he'd ever be famous enough to persuade hotel workers to give him the room he wanted the way Sugawara could.

Yamaguchi turned as he stifled a yawn. Despite having napped in the car a few times he was exhausted. "I don't think I can stay up even a moment longer," he replied as he dug in his bag for his pajamas.

"Well, you better hit the hay then," Sugawara agreed as a yawn escaped him as well. "I'm sure you'll be busy tomorrow preparing for the showcase in a few days."

Too tired from the camp ending and their day's travels, Yamaguchi hadn't even thought about what he'd do tomorrow. He decided he'd worry about it in the morning.

It wasn't long before both trainers were in their pajamas and snuggled deep in their respective beds. It was warm now that it was summer and they had decided to leave the window cracked. Yamaguchi's bed was closest to the open window and the sound of the ocean lulled him into a twilight state. With Eevee snuggled close to him he found it hard to keep his eyes open.

Sugawara mumbled something from his end of the room before turning out the lights. Yamaguchi, far too tired, didn't catch what had been said but replied with a muffled groan of acknowledgment nonetheless. Yamaguchi felt warm and comfortable and with the sound of the ocean and the smell of the salty air wafting in through the window he felt at home. As he drifted off to sleep, he fantasized about seeing Tsukki once more, holding the taller trainer in his arms, and kissing him on the cheek. It was a bold thought, but Yamaguchi smiled broadly as he fell fully asleep.

Yamaguchi and Eevee slept in late the next morning. It had been a while since Yamaguchi didn't have to set an alarm, and it seemed that Sugawara also shared a similar passion for sleep. It was Sugawara who woke first that morning. He allowed Yamaguchi to sleep in but once 10 am rolled around he decided he'd have to wake up the younger trainer before he slept the day away.

"Hey, Yamaguchi, it's time to wake up," Sugawara gently said as he gave Yamaguchi a small nudge.

Yamaguchi didn't stir, but Eevee could be seen as a lump moving beneath the sheets as she readjusted herself.

"Time to wake up, Yamaguchi," Sugawara tried once more, this time with a bit more strength.

Once more Yamaguchi didn't move but a grumble could be heard from where Eevee lay beneath the sheets.

Sugawara hadn't seen Yamaguchi as such a heavy sleeper. Perhaps a bit of tough love would be necessary. Grabbing the bedsheets and using all his strength, Sugawara yanked them off of Yamaguchi. "Wake up!"

Eevee gave a yelp as she tumbled to the floor. She shot Sugawara a seething glare for the rude awakening, but Yamaguchi merely shivered before rolling over and carrying on with his snoozing.

"Is he always this difficult to wake up?" Sugawara sighed, looking to Eevee.

The shiny Pokemon only scowled at him, still bitter about having been tossed off the bed.

Thinking quickly, Sugawara knew just how to wake Yamaguchi up. Striding over to the window he looked outside and in a loud voice proclaimed "Oh, is that Tsukishima I see on the beach in a swimsuit?"

That did the trick! Yamaguchi shot up in bed. His hair was a mess and a bit of drool dripped from his mouth. "T-Tsukki?" He mumbled incoherently.

"Jeeze, took you long enough to wake up," Sugawara laughed. "You sleep like the dead."

Yamaguchi, a bit disoriented, rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he took in his surroundings. It took him a long moment to recall where he was. "Morning, Sugawara," he greeted before releasing a large yawn.

"You ready to get up or what?" Sugawara said, giving Yamaguchi's back a hearty pat.

"Sorry, I guess I was just having a good dream," Yamaguchi replied with a sheepish grin.

"Was it about a certain blond?" Sugawara teased.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink as he hid his face. How had Sugawara figured out his crush so easily?

"Get dressed and let's get some breakfast," Sugawara said with a toothy smile, enjoying the reaction he got out of Yamaguchi.

Not wanting to be the victim to more of Sugawara's teasing, Yamaguchi dressed quickly and before long the two were on their way to a local cafe for breakfast. It was one Sugawara had frequented often and the workers seem to know who he was. Whether it was due to Sugawara's fame or because he came here often they were treated to some complimentary pastries. Yamaguchi couldn't help but admire Sugawara. The older trainer was obviously famous for his showcase performances, but you wouldn't have known it just by talking with him. Unlike Oikawa, Sugawara was humble, down to earth, and caring.

It was afternoon by the time the two were done with breakfast. Yamaguchi insisted that he didn't mind training on his own, but Sugawara wouldn' have any of it. The two headed down to the beach where they could find all the space they needed to train for the day.

"Training on the sand will help with your muscle buildup and balance," Sugawara said as the two scoped out a good place for the day.

It was definitely different walking on the sand then on solid ground. Yamaguchi wondered just how much he'd be tripping all over himself today. Despite the Showcase just being in a day not many people were at the beach. Sugawara suspected most people would be arriving tonight or tomorrow morning.

After scoping out a nice spot, the two set up for the day. Yamaguchi called out Riolu who made a beeline for the waves the second she caught sight of the sea. Eevee scampered after her and before Yamaguchi could stop them, they were playing in the surf.

"Hey you two! We came here to train, now play," Yamaguchi said as he chased after them. He couldn't be angry with them though. Perhaps some time out on the sand would help relax their nerves after such a rigorous camp.

He called out Brionne and Swirlix so they too could enjoy the sunny day. Sugawara as well called out his Milotic, Cinccino, and Audino to enjoy the sunny day as well. While the Pokemon played in the surf, Yamaguchi and Riolu got down to their routine practice. They had to make sure they had it down perfectly by tomorrow. As the minutes passed, Yamaguchi's normal anxieties began to fester.

He believed in his and Riolu's routine but failure was something that haunted him. What if he couldn't make it past round one? All of the practice would be for nothing if he couldn't make it to round two. Despite the thoughts haunting him, he did his best to stay focused.

Sugawara gave advice to Yamaguchi as much as he could, and whenever Riolu needed a break the two trainers would go over round one themes and review the best courses of action. Both Sugawara and Yamaguchi were certain that round one for Ambrette Town showcase was going to be trivia themed and most likely focusing on fossils, since that was the theme of this particular showcase. Yamaguchi was betting on this and knew everything there is to know about ancient Pokemon and fossils thanks to his best friend. He just hoped they were right about round one.

The sand made training a challenge, but he and Riolu were in sync now more than ever. Yamaguchi didn't want to jinx himself but he felt confident in both himself and in Riolu. He was excited and ready for the showcase but most of all he wanted to show Tsukki just how much he had changed in this short time. The idea of Tsukki watching this routine set his heart on fire.

"You are Riolu look amazing," Sugawara cheered upon seeing the two complete the routine once more. "You truly are turning into a formidable opponent. I hope I don't live to regret helping you this much," he joked as he studied Yamaguchi and Riolu.

Both Pokemon and trainer looked exhausted but satisfied. "Thanks," Yamaguchi laughed, unable to wipe the smile off his face as he collapsed in the sand. Riolu immediately jumped into his lap, snuggling close to her beloved trainer.

"Do you feel ready for tomorrow?" Sugawara asked as he sat beside the younger trainer.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Yamaguchi grinned, giving Riolu a rather affectionate snuggle. Riolu gave a joyful bark.

Sugawara smiled in approval, unable to hide the joy he felt for the younger trainer. There was something satisfying about helping others grow.

"Thanks for all the help, Sugawara. I really appreciate all you've done for me," Yamaguchi said, relaxing a bit now that he was done training for the day.

"It's my pleasure," Sugawara grinned like a proud mother. "I just can't wait to see you wow everyone tomorrow."

"As long as I don't mess it up," Yamaguchi laughed. "I am a magnet for trouble after all."

"You're a magnet for no such thing," Sugawara scolded. "You can just forget what Oikawa said. He was just being an ass."

"Yeah, I know," Yamaguchi sighed. He was excited, but still worried that his bad luck would ruin all this hard work.

"You're going to be fine tomorrow," Sugawara reassured. "And if anything gets in the way I will be sure to personally beat it up for you."

Yamaguchi merely laughed at this. He pitied anyone who would be on the receiving end of Sugawara's anger. The man was the nicest guy alive, but Yamaguchi was pretty sure he could be just as brutal when he wanted to be.

The two headed back into town when Yamaguchi's stomach growled so loudly they couldn't ignore it. Sugawara took him to his favorite restaurant by the sea to celebrate a job well done. Eating local food and laughing until the sun went down was a great way to help keep Yamaguchi's heart at ease.

Things had been crazy for Yamaguchi in the past few months. Between his almost kidnappings, Tsukki almost giving up, and losing showcases many times Yamaguchi was emotionally exhausted. Going to the camp and meeting everyone, gaining their support, and building new friendships had really helped him get back on track. He didn't know if Tsukki had been as worn out as he was, but he hoped that Tsukki was also able to calm down a bit while at his camp.

Yamaguchi looked forward to seeing Tsukki tomorrow. He'd perform in the showcase, win that key, and confess his feelings to his best friend. The idea both excited Yamaguchi but equally scared him. Deep down he knew Tsukki loved him back but the fear of rejection still haunted him. What if he was wrong about Tsukki's feelings? What would he do then? No matter what happened tomorrow, Yamaguchi would not regret it.

Tsukishima scowled as he rode from the back of the SUV, this time having Kuroo as his back seat partner. He had no clue why they hadn't driven straight to Ambrette Town the day before. They had stopped off at some stupid Inn yesterday afternoon that served famous Kalos Pokepuffs. They were good, but nothing like the Pokepuffs Yamaguchi made. They then decided to say the night at the inn and took forever to get back on the road the next day. Tsukishima felt like they were dawdling on purpose. All he wanted to do was get to Ambrette Town and see Yamaguchi.

"I can see you're thinking about your dear princess again," Kuroo teased from beside him. His sly eyes studied Tsukishima in a mocking way.

Tsukishima regret's Kuroo having every figured out his crush on Yamaguchi but the older trainer had probably figured it out the first time they'd met. "Leave me alone," he grumbled in reply.

"I wonder if Yamaguchi is thinking about you as well," Kuroo pressed, looking out the window at the purple sky. "I bet he is just itching to be reunited with his prince."

Tsukishima rolled his eyes.

"When you two get married, I want to be the best man," Kuroo carried on, turning back to face Tsukishima.

"No way! I'm going to be best man!" Bokuto spoke up, causing the car to swerve a bit.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Tsukishima snapped. "And neither of you are going to be best man!"

Kuroo and Bokuto both cackled, only for Akaashi to scold Bokuto as well. "You really need to focus on driving Bokuto, it's getting dark."

Tsukishima probably would have died for frustration yesterday if Akaashi hadn't been there to control the two.

"So you haven't received many texts from Yama-chan?" Kuroo asked, calming down a bit.

How Kuroo knew this Tsukishima didn't know. "It's none of your business."

"You're always grumpy when Yamaguchi neglects to talk with you," Kuroo teased, not scared of Tsukishima regardless of how crabby he got.

"Don't worry, Tsukki," Bokuto said from the front. "I bet he's just busy getting ready for the showcase."

"So, when do you plan to confess to him?" Kuroo asked, leaning closer to Tsukki like an excited school girl ready to soak up some gossip.

Tsukishima felt a vein pop in his head. "It's none of your business," he repeated. Like hell he'd get these two bozos involved with him and Yamaguchi.

"Come on, Tsukki, you're a bro now, and bros gotta be there to support each other," Bokuto loudly explained.

"I'm not a bro," Tsukishima curtly replied.

Bokuto and Kuroo just laughed.

"Sure you are," Kuroo insisted slinging his arm around Tsukishima. "And we bros gotta stick together and support each other."

Tsukishima felt the sudden need to murder.

All Akaashi could do was turn and send Tsukishima a sorry look. "This is how they show they care. I promise," was all he said before turning back around.

It was annoying, but Tsukishima couldn't bring himself to hate these guys. They had done so much for him in the past week. He was definitely a different trainer then before. He'd never admit it aloud but if he was to trust Yamaguchi with anyone, it would probably be Kuroo and Bokuto for they really did seem to care. He'd die before every saying it aloud though.

It was late when the group arrived in Ambrette Town and somehow Bokuto was able to get them a room at the Ambrette Hotel. Being one of the elite four Tsukishima wasn't surprised. He was set up to share a room with Akaashi. As the group split into two groups for the night Bokuto and Kuroo cheered about how they were going to party tonight.

Once in his room Tsukishima pulled out his Dex. He saw that it was already 10pm and wondered if Yamaguchi was still awake.

'Just arrived in Ambrette Town,' he wrote to Yamaguchi, pressing send.

A moment later he got a reply from Yamaguchi. 'I'm happy you made it safely. I will see you tomorrow after the showcase. Please make sure you watch my routine. I'm excited for you to see it.'

Tsukishima was oddly disappointed. He had hoped Yamaguchi would run to see him now. It was such a stupid romantic thing for him to think of and it embarrassed him. The sound of the ocean outside and the smell of the sea only made Tsukishima miss Yamaguchi more.

'I won't be late. Get some good rest, Yamaguchi,' Tsukishima replied before settling into his bed.

'I miss you, Tsukki. Good night 3' Yamaguchi replied a moment later.

The small heart in the message affected Tsukki more then he'd admit. He wanted to see Yamaguchi now. He wondered if he'd be able to sleep tonight with the longing he felt. Doing his best to stay calm, Tsukishima pulled out his tablet to read up on some recently discovered fossils in Galar. The article helped distract him but he just couldn't get seeing Yamauchi off his mind. He had become a hopeless romantic. Sure, it was pathetic but he wouldn't trade it for the world for Yamaguchi was worth it.

Author Note:

Oh my. The two are just one sleep away from seeing each other again. How will their reunion go? Will Yamaguchi win the key? Will he confess his love to Tsukki? How will Tsukki react if this happens? The suspense is just overwhelming. The only way to find out is to stay tuned!

As always, thank you all so much for your kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments, and reviews. I absolutely love hearing from you all so please tell me your thoughts on this fic.

Next week's chapter should be out on time no problem. For those of you who may be new here, I will try to post once a week during the weekend when I have time. Keep an eye out between Friday and Sunday for new chapters. I am so excited for the next few upcoming chapters. Once again we are going to roll into some new territory and more secrets shall be revealed. I hope you guys are ready for come change 3

That's all I have to say for now. See you next chapter.


	67. Ambrette Town Showcase: Part 1

Hey all! I hope you're doing well. Are you ready for chapter 67? It's finally time to see if all that hard work at the training camp has paid off for our dear Yamaguchi.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 67!

Ambrette Town Showcase: Part 1

Yamaguchi woke early the next morning. Today was the day! He'd win his next key and confess his feeling to Tsukki. He knew he would. He could feel it in the sea air. Nothing could get him down today! Nothing at all!

It had been hard last night when Tsukki texted him that he had arrived safely. Yamaguchi so badly wanted to see him then and there. He knew that if he asked Tsukki to meet him outside Tsukki would have done so. But Yamaguchi wasn't ready to see Tsukki again. He needed to try for this key first. Tsukki had to see how he'd changed.

Once he was ready to leave, Yamaguchi took a moment to look out the window over the ocean. The sound of the waves reminded him of his home, which reminded him of Tsukki. This whole showcase was for Tsukki and he couldn't help but wonder if Tsukki would realize that today. His heart swelled at the thought of Tsukki watching his performance. Today was going to be his day, he just knew it.

Not wanting to run into Tsukki on the way to the showcase, Yamaguchi left early. After much fussing and promising Eevee he wasn't abandoning her, he left the small shiny with Sugawara. He had recommended putting Eevee in her ball but she, as always, refused and made do with spending the day with uncle Suga.

Yamaguchi was more than nervous when he arrived at the showcase stadium. He checked himself in and headed to the locker rooms. He took his time getting changed and even applied a bit of stage makeup to help smooth out his complexion. It was something they had gone over at the camp.

Yamaguchi had decided to go with just Riolu for both rounds. He was almost certain that the first round would be a trivia round, and Riolu was the fastest on his team. She'd win him the opportunity to answer the questions first for sure. He just hoped his feeling was correct. Though even if the first round was something else, Yamaguchi still felt confident to win.

By the time he finished preparing himself the locker room was filled with other contestants. While he wore his normal showcase outfit from Shimada, many others wore costumes that resembled researchers or ancient Pokemon. Yamaguchi half worried his normal attire wasn't the correct choice. Maybe he should have also gone with a costume.

With a shake of his head, he decided he wasn't going to let it get to him. His nerves were settling in. He wondered if he really was ready. What if he messed up on stage? What if Riolu experienced stage fright like Eevee did? No! He had to keep it together. Think positive. He and Riolu were ready.

Yamaguchi checked his dex once more and saw a message from Tsukki.

'Good luck! Can't wait to see you on stage.'

Yamaguchi's heart swelled. Tsukki would be watching him. Soon he'd be back by Tsukki's side. Soon all would be as it should.

A wave of warmth filled Yamaguchi. It was comfortable and calming. Tsukki's always knew just how to make him feel better. He held onto this warmth, not letting it go.

Once in the waiting room, Yamaguchi called out Riolu. "We have about 30 minutes before Takeda will come in and explain round one. Let's do a bit of warming up," Yamaguchi explained. Riolu replied with a loud cheer.

The waiting room slowly began to fill with other contestants, both male and female. Pokemon and trainers alike took time to prep their teams as the clock counted down. Too caught up in his pep talk, Yamaguchi didn't notice a dark shadow loom over him. It was only when Riolu growled at the person behind him that Yamaguchi turned to see who it was.

Yamaguchi felt his heart do a horrified flip as he came face-to-face with Tendo. The older trainer had a wicked smile as he looked at Yamaguchi. From behind him, a Galarian Yamask floated idly as if it were unaware of the relationship between it's trainer and Yamaguchi.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Tendo said with a cackle. "I didn't expect to see you of all people back on stage after that humiliation in the last contest."

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink but he wasn't going to let Tendo get to him. He'd met worst people in the past few weeks then this guy.

"What do you want?" Yamaguchi frowned, his voice holding no hesitation.

"Oh, what's this?" Tendo mocked, showing a little surprise at Yamaguchi's sudden backbone. "Looks like somebody had finally grown out of their sniveling coward phase."

"Listen, if you're just here to pick on me then please stop," Yamaguchi said, doing his best to stand up to Tendo.

Tendo studied Yamaguchi with a critical eye. "I'm surprised to see that you even bothered to come here after that hilarious pee path."

Yamaguchi didn't take the bait. He was long over that incident and he knew Tendo was just trying to upset him.

"And I see that the little Eevee of yours is nowhere to be seen," Tendo carried on in a hum. "Traded it away after it embarrassed you like that? I'd also toss out a Pokemon who couldn't handle the stage."

"Don't you dare talk about Eevee like that," Yamaguchi growled, doing his best to stand up to Tendo. Riolu gave a threatening bark as well.

This did little to deter Tendo. Instead, it just seemed to interest him even more. "It's finally nice to see you have some fight in you," he said, sounding genuinely surprised. The shock wore off quickly.

"I don't have time for this nonsense," Yamaguchi replied, turning away to show he wasn't interested to carry on with the conversation.

"Wow, no time for little old me?" Tendo sighed dramatically. "What, you think you're too good for me now that you're a bit braver?" He growled, stepping into to Yamaguchi space.

Yamaguchi stumbled back as Tendo clenched his fist. Riolu gave a loud warning growl that alerted many trainers in the room. Tendo's Galarian Yamask was blissfully unaware of the confrontation taking place in front of it.

"Haha, made you flinch," Tendo sneered as he booped Yamaguchi's nose.

Yamaguchi frowned as he did his best not to let Tendo get to him. He wished the scary trainer would just go away.

"You're kind of cute when you pout," Tendo teased, stepping out of Yamaguchi's space.

"Coming from you, that's kind of creepy," Yamaguchi flatly replied. The idea of Tendo thinking of him as cute sent a shiver down his spine.

"Playing hard to get," Tendo chuckled with interest in his eyes. "I like games."

Yamaguchi scrunched up his nose while Riolu stood in front of her beloved trainer.

Before anymore could be said Takeda stepped into the room. He called all of them together and with that the tension in the room was dispelled.

"Good luck today, Yama-chan," Tendo cooed. "You better make sure you make it to round two so I can beat you into the ground." with that he walked off to where Takeda was asking people to gather.

Yamaguchi looked after Tendo frowning. He couldn't figure that guy out for a moment. Did Tendo hate him or not? He felt like he was being picked on by a bully who was crushing on him. The idea made him uneasy on many levels.

The group of about thirty trainers gathered around Takeda. An excited murmur filled the room only to quiet down once Takeda motioned for them to listen. Yamaguchi squeezed to the front to both get away from Tendo and get a better view of Takeda.

"It's good to see you all here today to participate in Ambrette Town's fossil themed showcase. As I'm sure you have all guessed today's round one event will be a trivia style event," Takeda announced.

Yamaguchi wanted to shout in joy. He had known the first round would be trivia and by the looks of it so did every other contestant. Perhaps Ambrette Town's fossil themed showcase was always trivia style.

"For a player to win themselves the chance to answer a question, your Pokemon of choice will have to dig in a pit of dirt, and whoever finds the hidden fossil first will win their trainer a chance to answer a question. The first to get three questions correct wins the round," Takeda explained.

Riolu gave an excited bark as Yamaguchi patted her head. Yamaguchi was confident in Riolu's digging ability.

"We will split you all into teams of 5 and we will have six rounds. Please look to the screen to see what group you'll be in," Takeda said as he motioned to one of many screens in the room.

Yamaguchi turned and as he did so the screen organized the group by pictures. Yamaguchi found he would be in group two. He was happy to find that Tendo was in another group. The last thing he needed was that ass on stage with him heckling him the whole time.

"Whoever wins round one will go on to round two, where you will perform in a routine. Round two's voting will go as normal with viewers voting on who they enjoyed best. The one to collect the most votes not only wins the Ambrette Town fossil key but will also win an extra grand prize," Takeda carried on in excitement. 

Excited chatter filled the room. Yamaguchi couldn't help but wonder what the grand prize was. He wouldn't have to wonder for two long for very soon it would be his.

With the explanations over, Takeda bid his farewell and headed out of the room.

Yamaguchi and Riolu settled down on a small sofa near the front of the room. He spent the time reviewing facts about ancient Pokemon that he already knew by heart thanks to Tsukki. With the anticipation to start, time passed by quickly and before they knew it the first group of contestants were gathered up to go on stage.

Yamaguchi felt his heart do a flip as the TV's clicked on to show Takeda talking to the crows of people. It suddenly dawned on Yamaguchi that Tsukki was in that crowd and would be looking upon him very soon. He wondered if he'd be able to see Tsukki from the stage. Normally the stage lights were too bright for him to see anything but he'd keep an eye out. He wanted to see Tsukki so bad he felt his chest ache in pain.

With a loud cheer from the TV, the round one contestants finished up. The winner was a girl and her Espeon. Yamaguchi smiled at the TV before a stagehand came in to collect him and the others in his group. Yamaguchi's heart pounded wildly against his ribcage as he followed the group to the stage.

It had felt like ages since he had last been on stage. It caused Butterfrees to well up in his stomach, but he was equally excited. He held Riolu tight in his arms. She whined in excitement as they entered the stage. Yamaguchi supposed he didn't have to worry about her feeling any sort of stage fright. The claps and cheers from the crow seemed to energize Riolu.

In the center of the stage was a pit of sand. Behind the sand stood five pedestals for the contestants to stand behind. Yamaguchi was directed to take center pedestal. Being in the center made him nervous, but he did his best to focus on Riolu and ignore the million eyes watching him.

Along with Riolu in the stand pit was an Eevee, Drilbur, Trapinch and a Zigzagoon. Trapinch and Drillbur were both ground type Pokemon, and it mildly worried Yamaguchi, but he believed in Riolu!

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let us start the next Round! Contestants and pokemon! Are you ready?" Takeda cheered from the side of the stage!

Yamaguchi and the others gave a shout of confirmation.

"Pokemon! On your marks! Get set! DIG!" Takeda shouted and in a flash all five pokemon dug through the sand.

A cloud of stand filled the stage and made it next to impossible for anyone to see what was happening. From his pedestal, Yamaguchi cheered as loudly as he could for Riolu. Shouts from the crowd echoed through the large auditorium and the next thing Yamaguchi knew a spotlight was shining down on him! Riolu had succeeded in finding the first Fossil.

"Riolu!" Yamaguchi cheered in utter joy as she emerged from the sand with fossil in paw! She gave a proud bark.

"Contestant Yamaguchi's Riolu wins the first question!" Takeda announced to the crowd.

A roar of cheers filled the auditorium.

"Yamaguchi, are you ready for your question?" Takeda asked.

Yamaguchi gave an excited nod!

"What Pokemon can be revived from Old Amber?" Takeda asked.

"Aerodactyl!" Yamaguchi replied without missing a beat. That was an easy one.

"Correct!" Takeda cheered causing another roar of applause to erupt.

The screen on the front of Yamaguchi's pedestal flashed one point.

The Pokemon exited the sand pit as they readied it for the next round. It didn't take long and Yamaguchi was more than ready to answer another fossil question.

"Pokemon! On your marks! Get set! DIG!" Takeda shouted and once again the stage erupted in a cloud of sand.

Yamaguchi cheered and shouted for Riolu to do her best but this time the light lit up beside the girl next to him.

"Contestant Sammy's Trapinch is the winner this round," Takeda shouted.

Riolu deflated as she exited the sand pit but straightened up a bit when Yamaguchi gave her a gentle pat on the head. "We still have plenty of chances," he whispered to her.

"Sammy, what fossil does Cranidos come from?" Takeda asked.

Sammy thought for a long moment before replying with an unsure "Armor Fossil?"

An angry buzzer sounded and the grown released an array of disappointed sounds.

Quickly Yamaguchi slammed his hand onto his buzzer. The light above him turned on and before any more could be said he shouted. "Cranidos comes from the Skull Fossil fossil!"

"Correct!" Takeda cheered.

Yamaguchi lit up with a bright smile as the crowd cheered for him. His screen flashed on with two points. He felt unstoppable.

The Pokemon got ready for the next round on Takeda's mark the sand flew into the air. This time the first to find the fossil was Drilbur. To Yamaguchi's dismay, it's trainer was able to answer their question no problem.

On round four Drilbur found the next fossil once again. Riolu looked more then upset and Yamaguchi felt worry overtake him as Drilbur's trainer answered yet again another correct answer. They were now tied. If Drilbur found the next fossil Yamaguchi would be out.

"I know you can do this, Riolu! I believe in you!" he whispered to her, ruffling the top of her head.

The crowd was quiet with anticipation. Yamguchi held his breath as the Pokemon readied themselves to jump into the sand yet again.

"Pokemon! On your marks, get set, DIG!" Takeda shouted.

Yamaguchi cheered with all his might! He put everything he had into cheering Riolu on! He knew she could do it. He believed in her. This was their day!

The pokemon's digging lasted longer than the past few rounds. A few time's the small Eevee has been pushed out of the pit all together. It looked like a sandstorm was about to take place. As quickly as it all started that sand stopped as a spot light showed over Yamaguchi and Riolu emerged with fossil in paw.

"Contestant Yamaguchi's Riolu has found the next fossil!" Takeda shouted.

The crowd roared in cheers. Yamaguchi shouted as well. The pride he felt for Riolu in that moment almost made him cry. Now it was up to him to answer one more question. Yamaguchi closed his eyes and channeled all the information about fossils Tsukki had poured into him all these years.

"Yamaguchi, are you ready for your question?" Takeda asked.

"Bring it!" Yamaguchi replied confidently.

"When was it estimated that Tyrunt and Tyrantrum went extinct?" Takeda asked.

Yamaguchi felt his heart bloom. Tyrunt and Tyrantrum were Tsukishima's favorite fossil Pokemon. He knew everything there was to know about these two. "100 million years ago!" Yamaguchi shouted into the microphone. He didn't need Takeda to tell him, Yamaguchi knew he was correct.

"That is correct!" Takeda cheered as a siren sounded indicating that the first round was over. "Contestant Yamaguchi is the winner!"

"We did it! We did it, Riolu!" Yamaguchi shouted as he took his small blue dog Pokemon into his arms for a hug.

Riolu cheered and barked in utter joy! She nuzzled her face into Yamaguchi's neck. It filled her with joy to see her trainer so happy.

The crowd erupted into cheers for the two as they were escorted off the stage. Yamaguchi wondered what Tsukki was thinking now. Who would have thought Tsukki's obsession with fossil Pokemon would have won Yamaguchi round one in his showcase? Yamaguchi would have to thank him for always reading to him about ancient Pokemon when they met after the showcase.

With Riolu in his arms and determination filling his heart, the two headed back to the waiting room. They had a round two to get ready for.

Author Notes:

On my isn't that wonderful! Our dear Yamaguchi has finally made it past round on in a showcase after so long. I wonder if his routine will be able to win him the key? Will someone else be just that much better? What is Tsukki thinking about all this? Is he happy to see his dear Yamaguchi on stage? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned!

Hey all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am so so excited for you all to read the next chapter. It's going to be a good one. As always thank you all so much for the kudoes, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all so please leave me a comment or review down below and let me know what you think.

OKay so who is loving Haikyu! Season 4. It's so great to see Yamaguchi and Tsukki animated. They are simply adorable (esspecally Yamaguchi). I think the art and animation is beautiful. While I do keep up with the manga I am just so happy to have new episodes of the anime coming out too. It's interesting to see how things play out animated as opposed to reading it in manga. I also saw this whole arc/section/saga/ whatever you want to call it live on stage and that two was interesting to see the difference. It's all so accurate but also some things come across slightly different… idk what I'm talking about.

I don't have much more to say. Winter tends to kick my but and I get sick so much so my mind is a bit bleh right now. I will do my best to get back to everyone in the comment section once I'm feeling better. I'll see you all next chapter.


	68. My Love For You

Hey all! So this chapter is going to be a good one. I hope you're ready for big big big things. I'm not going to say anymore!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, chapter 68!

Ambrette Town Showcase: Part Two

My Love for You

Tsukishima was amazed at how Yamaguchi took the stage in round one! He didn't know what to expect at this showcase and when he found out it was fossil themed it made sense why Yamaguchi was so adamant about this particular showcase. Round one had been tense and Tsukishima had been on the edge of his seat. He had even cheered for his best friend when he answered the final question.

Bokuto and Kuroo shouted obnoxiously throughout the whole of round one but even that didn't distract Tsukishima from Yamaguchi. It had only been a week but it felt like ages since he had seen Yamaguchi in person and the way Yamaguchi shone on the stage made Tsukishima speechless. Was it just him, or was Yamaguchi shining?

Eevee trilled with joy from Tsukishima's lap every time Yamaguchi answered a question correctly. The moment she had been reunited with Tsukishima she had jumped into his arms. It was almost comforting to have Eevee back in his life, as it meant he'd soon have Yamaguchi by his side once more.

Tsukishima paid very little attention to the next rounds of contestants coming on to answer questions. It was fun to think of the answers to the questions himself. He knew them all and when someone answered wrong he'd scoff at them. The only time Tsukishima's attention was piqued was when Tendo took the stage. That asshole better not have been picking on Yamaguchi backstage.

Unfortunately, Tendo won his round and it boiled Tsukishima's blood. That guy was a creep and had it out for Yamaguchi. Even Kuroo and Bokuto noticed Tsukishima pout.

"What's got you so crabby all of a sudden? Did that guy steal your lunch money or something?" Bokuto joked.

"Shut up!" Tsukishima replied, furious that his emotions were being read so easily.

With round one over, Takeda took center stage once more. "We will now have a 30 minute intermission and will start round two on the dot so please be sure you are all back at your seats in time."

The audience clapped once more before the lights on the stage went dim.

"I'm gonna go grab a bite to eat at the concession stand," Bokuto announced to the rest of the group. "Anyone want to join?"

"I'm feeling a bit peckish," Kuroo barked, joining his best buddy.

Tsukishima, Akaashi, and Sugawara waved them goodbye as they left the auditorium in a very loud fashion. Tsukishima wasn't going to chance missing round two. He was curious to see what Yamaguchi had planned. He had insisted many times via text that Tsukishima not miss it.

Pulling out his dex he sent Yamaguchi a quick and simple good luck message. He knew Yamaguchi probably didn't have his dex on him, but felt it necessary nonetheless.

"I'm so relieved Yamaguchi made it to round 2," Sugawara sighed as he relaxed back in his chair. "He's been practicing this routine nonstop. I'd be devastated for him if he didn't make it."

"I'm very excited to see the round 2 routines," Akaashi said. "It's been ages seen I've seen them live."

"I'm certain that Yamaguchi's is bound to be the most spectacular," Sugawara said with large hand motions. "He did have me coaching him after all."

"Isn't he technically a rival of yours?" Tsukishima pointed out flatly. "You are both going for the same Kalos King title."

"Helping others is something I tend to do naturally," Sugawara shrugged in a guilty way. "I can't help but spread the knowledge I know. There is just something so gratifying about seeing someone grow."

Tsukishima found it odd regardless, but nodded anyway. He was happy that Yamaguchi was able to find someone as reliable as Sugawara at the camp. Curiosity consumed Tsukishima as he wondered what Yamaguchi's routine would be like. Sugawara, a high-level showcase contestant himself, spoke so highly of Yamaguchi. Though it might not have shown on his face, Tsukishima was excited to see his best friend perform.

Bokuto and Kuroo arrived back just in time for round two to start. They both gave loud hoots as the light in the theater dimmed and the stage lights flashed on. Takeda once again took center stage.

"I'm happy to announce the start of round 2," Takeda said, his voice echoing off the auditorium walls. "As I'm sure most of you know, we will now watch the routines of our remaining contestants. Once all have finished we will then vote on who you liked best. Without further ado, please give a round of applause to our first contestant, Tendo and his Bisharp."

Applause filled the air for only a moment before everyone quieted down in anticipation. Tsukishima wasn't too interested in Tendo's performance. In fact, he only really cared about one performance today. Tsukishima crossed his arms and sat back in his seat as the music for Tendo's routine began to play.

It was some sort of metal cover of a classical song Tsukishima was familiar with but couldn't recall the name of. Tendo and his Bisharp moved quickly around the stage. It was an impressive act, but nothing Tsukishima hadn't seen before. The audience gasped at every dramatic moment and there were times where it seemed Bisharp had almost cut Tendo's head off. Both Pokemon and trainer were in perfect synch but even that didn't impress Tsukishima in the slightest.

After Tendo came the next contestant, an older woman and her Kirlia. They danced to a ballet song that only caused Tsukishima to stifle a yawn. Even Eevee was dozing off, thought others in the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Tsukishima wished they would just hurry up and get to Yamaguchi.

Next was a young boy and his Farfetch'd. They put on a comedy routine that got laughs out of the crowd though Tsukishima didn't crack a smile. After the boy was a young girl and her Rowlet who stumbled and fell halfway through their routine. After her was a man and his Skitty who put on some sort of an odd mime act that confused most people in the crowd. Perhaps Tsukishima wasn't artsy enough to understand it.

"And for our last act of the night, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Yamaguchi and his Riolu!" Takeda announced before exiting the stage.

Applause filled the air. Bokuto and Kuroo both hooted loudly as Tsukishima sat up in his seat. Finally, it was Yamaguchi's turn! He thought it would never come.

The stage was dark for a long moment. The room became dead quiet. For a second, Tsukishima wondered if something had gone wrong, but just as the thought passed him the lights on the stage flashed on and music filled the air.

Immediately Yamaguchi and Riolu moved in tandem to one another. Their movements were so fluid and precise it was like the two were of one mind. The music that played was one Tsukishima was very familiar with, in fact it was a song he'd been partial to since he was very young. He knew the thought was stupid, but he felt that Yamaguchi must have picked out this song for him.

Yamaguchi and Riolu danced around the stage and when the song hit its first high note Riolu released her first Aura Sphere. The audience gasped in amazement as the soft blue light of the sphere exploded above Yamaguchi. Energy glittered around both Yamaguchi and Riolu taking Tsukishima's breath away.

Several times Tsukishima felt worry rush thought him as an Aura Sphere exploded far too close to Yamaguchi. One step out of place and Yamaguchi would surely be struck down. Despite this fear Tsukishima could tell that Yamaguchi and Riolu were connected at the heart and such a blunder wouldn't happen.

It was probably just him but Yamaguchi shone like a god upon the stage as several more Aura Spheres exploded around him. His movements were smooth and almost sensual. Tsukishima along with many others in the crowd were captivated by the magic he and Riolu performed in front of them.

As the music hit its final notes Riolu released several more Aura Spheres, all of which exploded at once in the shape of a heart around herself and Yamaguchi. Tsukishima felt something in his chest flutter. That heart. It was for him. Though everyone else in the room were unaware Tsukishima knew it was for him.

Tsukishima watched with his mouth slightly ajar as Yamaguchi and Riolu gave a large bow. Applause erupted as the two bowed once more. Tsukishima just sat as he watched Yamaguchi on stage. He couldn't wait for this showcase to be over so he could be beside him once more. His body ached with the longing.

"Wow that was AMAZING!" Bokuto shouted so loudly even Yamaguchi heard it from the stage.

"That's my boy! THAT'S MY BOY!" Sugawara screamed like a proud mother.

From the stage, Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright red.

It was then that Tsukishima also stood to applaud his best friend. In that moment his and Yamaguchi's eyes met. As Yamaguchi smiled brightly at him, Tsukishima once more felt something move inside him. A want for the freckled trainer overtook his every need, but he did well to control it.

The moment only lasted a second as stagehands escorted Yamaguchi off the stage. Takeda took center stage once more. "In a moment we will bring the contestants back on stage for voting so please get your voting controls ready. For everyone here they can be found on the arm of you seat and for those at home you can vote online."

From backstage, Yamaguchi's heart was pounding like mad. He felt so alive after a performance like that. He and Riolu had hit every step with perfection. He held her tightly in his arms, showering her with affection every few moments. He was so proud of her. She was a natural on stage and seemed to soak up the applause and excitement from the crowd.

Yamaguchi was nervous for voting. The other contestants had been amazing as well, and he wasn't sure if he and Riolu had done enough to win the key. He hoped they had but at the same time he felt like even if they lost he'd be okay. They had given it there all and in the moment his eyes met with Tsukki's he knew his message had come across loud and clear. He loved Tsukki and soon he'd be back by his side.

Once the other contestants had joined him backstage they were all led onto the stage. Yamaguchi was happy to find that he and Tendo were placed on opposite ends of the lineup. The color representing Yamaguchi for this showcase was green. Upon his lapel he had pinned his green key that would be used to tally up everyone votes.

Once all contestants were lined up on the stage spotlight corresponding to their color shone down on them. Yamaguchi looked out over the crowd to where he had seen Tsukki before, but it was far too dark now to make out anyone. Holding Riolu close Yamaguchi prayed that the title of the Ambrette Town Showcase Winner would be his. He wanted the key so bad. He wanted the grand prize. It must have been something fossil-related. He just knew it.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please take a moment now to vote for your favorite performance today," Takeda announced and with that everyone watching the show, both live and at home, casted their votes. "Now, let's tally those votes and see who our winner is!"

Large key-shaped holograms appeared above each contestant. As the colorful lights floated from the crowd to the small key's each contestant had, Yamaguchi closed his eyes and held his breath. The key-shaped monitor above each contestant filled for all to see. As a contestants monitor finished the light above them would go out. Yamaguchi cracked an eye to see the light above him still shone as several green lights floated from the crowd to the key on his lapel.

Two light beside him went off. The light above Tendo went off at the same time as the older lady's light. It was now just Yamaguchi and the man with the Skitty.

"Please, please, please," Yamaguchi whispered. From his arms Riolu also whined with anticipation.

The room exploded in applause as the light above the man flashed off leaving Yamaguchi as the winner.

"Today's Showcase winner is YAMAGUCHI TADASHI!" Takeda announced, his voice barely audible above the roaring crowd.

Yamaguchi sat in shock as the room applauded him. He felt tears build at the corner of his eyes as his heart filled with pride. He had done it. He had finally won his second key and it was all thanks to Tsukki and his obsession with Fossil Pokemon.

Yamaguchi hugged Riolu close, showering her with praise. She had done just amazing and worked just as hard as he had for this win. Takeda and his Klefki approached him with the grand prize.

"Yamaguchi, I am proud to present to you the Ambrette Town Special Fossil Showcase Key!" Takeda said as his Klefki floated over and handed Yamaguchi the small key.

Yamaguchi took the key in his hand, taking a moment to examine it. It was the same size of any Showcase key but the top of it held a small ball of amber. Decorating it's shaft were engravings of several pokemon fossils. The tip of the key looked more like a diffing tool one might use for excavation then to open a door. Overflowing with excitement and joy Yamaguchi and Riolu both released an excited cheer.

"As for your grand prize I'd like to present to you a genuine Jaw Fossil," Tekeda said, handing over a clear box that contained the valuable fossil.

Yamaguchi gasped. A real fossil? He had won a real Jaw Fossil. He felt as if he was going to faint.

"Along with this fossil, you also won a backstage tour of the fossil research facility located in town where you will be able to regenerate your fossil if you so choose," Takeda carried on, smiling just as wide as everyone watching.

Yamaguchi couldn't believe it. This all felt like an amazing dream. Tears fell once more from his eyes as his heart filled with so many emotions.

"Everyone, please give Yamaguchi one more round of applause," Taketa shouted.

The room once more filled with applause and cheering. He could hear Sugawara, Kuroo, and Bokuto shouting his name from somewhere in the audience. His heart was filled with joy as he wiped the happy tears from his eyes. He took one last bow before being led off stage.

Yamaguchi wanted to see Tsukishima now more than ever. He needed to see him. He just had to see him. Not even bothering to change, Yamaguchi gathered his stuff and left the waiting area, heading right out to find his beloved Tsukki.

It was crowded and many people wished him congratulations but Yamaguchi barely heard any of it. Riolu followed close beside him as he weaved through the crowd to the lobby entrance. He scanned the room looking everywhere for Tsukki. There were so many people but even in this sea of people Tsukki was tall enough to stick out.

It was when Riolu gave an excited bark that Yamaguchi saw him. Tsukki was just exiting the hallway from where he had been sitting. Not even waiting to see if Tsukki had seen him, Yamguchi ran to him.

"T-Tsukki!" Yamaguchi shouted, his voice cracking with desperation.

Tsukishima's located him immediately. The two both stopped for a moment as they looked to one another. Almost absentmindedly, Tsukishima handed Eevee off to Akaashi.

"Yamaguchi!" Tsukishima called back and at that moment Yamaguchi rushed towards him.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi repeated as he almost knocked Tsukkishima down with the force of his hug. Wrapping his arms around Tsukishima's neck Yamaguchi pressed their lips together.

Tsuksihiam stumbled for a moment, shocked by the aggressive kiss, but soon steadied himself wrapping his long arms around Yamaguchi's waste.

The kiss they shared was sloppy and a bit desperate but the two savored it nonetheless. A hoot could he heard from both Kuroo and Bokuto as Sugawara took a picture of the occasion. Having wormed her way out of Akasshi's hold, Eevee joined Riolu on the floor, dancing in joy around their trainer's ankles.

Breathless and giddy the two hopeless lovers broke the kiss. Both smiled as their noses brushed against each other.

"Tsukki, I love you," Yamaguchi declared, pressing a soft kiss on the corner of Tsukki's lips.

"How dare you beat me saying it," Tsukishima replied. "You're always one step ahead of me, aren't you. I love you, too, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima replied showing more affection than he had ever before.

People around them clapped and awed as they passed the two lovers. Some even mistook the moment as a marriage proposal. As their emotions settled Yamaguchi became acutely aware of how their confession was on display for all to see. Feeling embarrassed, he hid his face in Tsukishima's shoulder.

Their friends laughed at Yamaguchi's reaction. Tsukishima held him close, using his strong arms to comfort him. Both trainers were as red as a tomato berries as they stood there holding one another.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but laugh at themselves as he removed his face from Tsukishima's shoulders. "Sorry Tsukki, I guess I just couldn't contain my love for you now that we're back together," He said, giving Tsukki's cheeks a small peck.

More awws could be heard as people passed by. Tsukki's cheeks went pink, and Yamaguchi was more than certain that he could get used to this.

Authors Note:

Well now, look at that. Our two boys are finally together and Yamaguchi won his second key. Looks like things our looking up for our freckled protagonist. What will come for the two trainers now that they are a couple? Are things bound to stay the same or will change come? Now that Yamaguchi's showcase is over it is Tsukki's turn to shine next. Can he win his next badge? Let's find out!

Hey all! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know this was a fun one to write and I was super excited to get it out. I hope you enjoyed it. Yamaguci and Tsukkishima deserve each other.

I want to thank all of you for the follows, bookmarks, comments, kudos and reviews. I am super happy to see them, all of them. It gives me fule to keep on going. If you have time do leave a comment or review below 3

For now the upload of new chapters should be regular but in a few months (Late March to May) I will be making another big move so there may be a small dry spell come spring. I will try to write a few chapters in advance but we'll see what happens.

Thats all I have to say for now. You all take care and see you next chapter.


	69. Nap Time

Hey all! Here is chapter 69! Hold your laughter! Oh my gosh! Tsukki and Yama are now a thing and its the 69th chapter! Let's see what this new dynamic brings to the story shall we!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Nap Time

Yamaguchi had never felt such joy in all his life. He had both won a key and Tsukki as a boyfriend in the same day. He felt like he was on top of the world. He felt like he could handle anything life threw at him. Even winning the title of Kalos king felt more than achievable. The joy he felt swirled in his chest, making him feel an odd mix of utter joy and bliss while still being a bit overwhelmed.

The small group hung around in the hallway of the theater for a short while longer. Yamaguchi was too overwhelmed by all that had just happened to know what to do next. Kuroo and Bokuto were both going wild congratulating Tsukki while teasing about how cute they were, and Sugawara was also busy gloating about how wonderful Yamaguchi had been and how happy he was for him.

"You should have seen Tsukki's face when you finished off your routine, Yamaguchi," Kuroo laughed giving Tsukki's back a hard pat. "He was red all over."

"Yeah, this guy was pining for you through the whole camp!" Bokuto added loudly.

Tsukishima had to fight down the urge to kill the two.

"You were pining for me, Tsukki?" Yamaguchi cooed taking Tsukki's hand in his own.

Tsukishima shifted uncomfortably under all the attention but held Yamaguchi's hand tight. "You two can shut up now," he said, glaring at Bokuto and Kuroo.

"Yamaguchi was also thinking of you all camp, too, Tsukishima," Sugawara laughed winking at the two new lovers. "He performed in this showcase just for you."

"W-Was it that obvious?" Yamaguchi sputtered, his face going razz berry red.

"Oh, Tsukki knows so much about dinosaurs. He reads to me about them all the time," Sugawara swooned, doing his best Yamaguchi impression. "I hope Tsukki isn't late to the showcase, I really want him to see it."

"S-S-Stop!" Yamaguchi shouted, hiding his red face in Tsukki's arm.

Tsukishima was also red in the face at finding out how much Yamaguchi had been talking about it. It was nice to know that he had been on Yamaguchi's mind while away for so long.

"Honestly, these two have been pining since I met them 4 months ago," Kuroo laughed, happy to see they had finally come together.

"Yeah, I thought they'd never get together," Bokuto added.

"What are you talking about? You've just barely met us," Tsukishima snapped.

"Aww, come on, Tsukki, I may have only just met you two but I did give you advice on love," Bokuto pouted.

"What advice?" Tsukishima scoffed. "All you told me to do was just scoop Yamaguchi up and claim him as mine. I hardly call that advice."

"But it worked on you," Bokuo accused.

Tsukishima's cheeks when bright red. He couldn't help but agree that Yamaguchi had won him over faster then he'd ever admit.

Laughter filled the now-empty hall. Yamaguchi was so happy that he couldn't be upset about all the teasing. It was nice to know that Tsukki's new friends supported their relationship.

"We should probably head out before they kick us out," Akaashi quietly suggested.

"Right, I'm so hungry," Yamaguchi nodded, feeling hunger take over now that his adrenaline was wearing off.

"I made lunch reservations at the local place here for us all," Sugawara cut in. "If we head over now we should get there just in time."

Led by Sugawara, the group loudly, mostly Bokuto and Kuroo, made their way to the restaurant. The whole walk, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima held hands. It felt simply amazing to Yamaguchi to have Tsukki's hand in his own as they casually walked down the street. Beside him, Riolu and Eevee skipped along in utter joy. They seemed to be just as happy for their trainer as anyone else.

As they walked people congratulated Yamaguchi on his win. Having rushed out of the stadium to find Tsukki, Yamaguchi was still dressed in his flashy performing outfit. It wasn't until they arrived at the restaurant that he remembered this and began to feel a bit overdressed.

The waiters and waitresses recognised him right away as the winner of the showcase. They showered him with congratulations and offered a free starter for the group to share. Yamaguchi was utterly embarrassed from all the attention he was receiving and it must have shown because as they were being seated Sugawara discreetly whispered: "you'll get used to it with time."

The restaurant Sugawara took them to was a pasta house located by the sea. They had been seated by an open window that overlooked the ocean. Warm sea air filled the restaurant and the distant sounds of Wingulls could be heard from outside. It was a relaxing place to help them unwind after such an exciting morning.

"Congratulations on the win, Yamaguchi," Kuroo said after they all put in their order. "I was so distracted by that amazing kiss you and Tsukki shared I forgot to tell you," he laughed, sending Tsukki a wink.

Yamaguchi cheeks when bright red as he whispered "Th-Thank you, Kuroo."

"You were honestly amazing, Yama-chan," Bokuto loudly insisted leaning over the table as he did so. "After your routine ended it was obvious you were the winner."

Yamaguchi's cheeks went even redder. "You're exaggerating."

"He's right, though," Akaashi agreed. "You take to the stage quite well. Showcases really do suit you."

"I mean, I couldn't have done it without all the help I received," Yamaguchi replied with a shy smile. Compliments were so nice to receive but hard to get used to.

"He was tutored by the best," Sugawara joked, puffing out his chest proudly.

"I don't think it would have gone as well as it had today if not for your help, Sugawara," Yamaguchi agreed.

Sugawara looked sheepish, like he hadn't expected Yamaguchi to agree. "Well, most of it was your raw talent."

Yamaguchi wanted to disagree. He wasn't talented in the least bit. He wouldn't be celebrating here today if it wasn't for Sugawara and the others at the camp helping him grow. He knew that better than anyone.

"Well, we're just so happy that you got your next key," Kuroo said with a large smile. "So let's spend the rest of today celebrating."

Bokuto gave a loud hoot of agreement that caused half the restaurant to look their way.

Tsukishima looked like he wanted to disagree, but kept his mouth shut. Yamaguchi deserved the hype he was getting even if it was coming from these two annoying bozos.

The group exchanged joyful conversation as they waited for their lunch to arrive. They talked about their time at camp, teased the two new lovers every now and then, caught each other up on their lives, but most of all, Bokuto and Kuroo annoyed Tsukki with their loud banter. It was a bit of a rowdy lunch, but Yamaguchi felt warm and happy amongst these people.

Lunch was amazing and by the time they finished eating Yamaguchi felt utterly exhausted. He hadn't taken a real break since waking up, and it was catching up to him. He wanted to celebrate with the others but was finding it almost impossible to keep his eyes open as they chatted around the table.

"Yamaguchi, if you need to take a rest you don't have to come with us to the beach," Sugawara pointed out once noticing Yamaguchi fighting the need to sleep.

"No, no. I'm fine," Yamaguchi replied before releasing a large yawn.

"Maybe you and I can go back to the hotel for a bit of quiet time," Tsukishima suggested, his voice holding more hope in it then he meant it to.

"Oh? Alone at the hotel?" Kuroo hummed in obnoxious interest. "While Yamaguchi is so sleepy and vulnerable."

"You trying to get away for some lovey-dovey alone time," Bokuto added with a snicker. Akaashi sighed in disapproval.

"Shut up!" Tsukishima snapped, glaring at the two. "You can't blame us for wanting a break for your constant blabbering."

Yamaguchi stifled a tired laugh. He missed his sassy Tsukki.

"Listen, you two head back to the hotel for a bit so Yamaguchi can rest and we can check in with you later," Sugawara suggested, not wanting an argument to break out. Kuroo and Bokuto were known to be a little too much at times.

The group agreed upon this plan and after paying the bill they went their separate ways. Bokuto and Kuroo headed to the beach for some bro time, Akaashi and Sugawara made their way to the shopping center, and Yamaguchi and Tsukishima headed to the hotel so Yamaguchi could take a nap.

The two new lovers decided on staying in Yamaguchi's room for the time being. When they got back Riolu and Eevee both cuddled with one another on a cushioned chair by the window. Yamaguchi quickly situated his things and changed into some pajamas before collapsing into his bed. Tsukishima hesitated for a moment, deciding what he should do while Yamaguchi napped.

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi whined from the bed. With a lazy hand, he waved his boyfriend over.

"What is it?" Tsukishima asked, striding over to the bed.

Not replying, Yamaguchi took Tsukki by the wrist and pulled him down. "Cuddle with me?" he asked as he sent his lover a sweet smile.

Tsukishima felt his heart do a strange flip in his chest. It made him feel all sorts of strange at how simply looking at Yamaguchi could affect him so easily. Being in love made him far more vulnerable then he imagined.

"Please," Yamaguchi pressed, doing his best to look sad. That did the trick, and Tsukishima finally caved.

"F-Fine, I guess we can cuddle," Tsukishima grumbled doing his best to not sound as happy as he felt. He did have a reputation to uphold after all.

The most angelic giggle escaped Yamaguchi's lips as he scooted over. Tsukishima knew Yamaguchi successfully had him wrapped around his finger and there was nothing he could do. The second Tsukishima laid himself down, he found Yamaguchi's arms tightly around him.

"I missed you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed as he held his lover close. "I'm so happy to be back with you."

'Oh, Arceus!' Tsukishima screamed internally as he rolled a bit to bring Yamaguchi into a tight cuddle. "I missed you, too," he admitted.

Yamaguchi gave a contented hum as he melted into the arms of his lover. This felt so right. He felt like he was where should be. His heart was so light, all his current worries escaped him. Being with Tsukishima like this was everything he'd dreamed for and more. Shifting just a bit he leaned up a bit to plant a soft kiss on the side of Tsukki's mouth before cuddling back in for his nap.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi had drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Every now and then he'd mumble Tsukki's name as he refused to let go of his boyfriend. Tsukishima was okay with this. Holding Yamaguchi so close was something he had been wanting to do for a while now. He felt something inside him melt away. It was like there had been a heavy weight he'd been carrying around that had lifted the moment their lips met. It was a nice feeling and he swore he'd do his best to be the best boyfriend to Yamaguchi.

As Yamaguchi slumbered in his arms Tsukishima planted a loving kiss on his forehead. He was so proud of his boyfriend. Yamaguchi had come so far in the past week. He'd always been the one to push them bothi to keep going. He really did bring out the best in Tsukishima. He thanked Arceus a million times over for blessing his life with Yamaguchi.

It was late afternoon when the two lovebirds were rudely interrupted by the rest of their crew. Tsukishima tried to sit up in bed as they came storming through the door but Yamaguchi both refused to let him go and refused to wake up.

"Oh my, what did we walk in on," Kuroo teased as they strode in. he was carrying Tsukishima's travel items.

"Sorry to barge in like this but we assumed you two would want to room together tonight," Akaashi explained as Sugawara gathered his things.

"I see Yamaguchi sleep like the dead even for naps," Sugawara laughed as he observed Tsukishima failing to peel himself from Yamaguchi.

"Thanks for bringing me my things," Tsukishima flatly replied, wishing they had at least knocked.

"Oh Akaashi, seeing the two new love birds makes me nostalgic for when we first got together," Bokuto cried as he scooped up his boyfriend.

"Bokuto, please put me down," Akaashi flatly replied.

"Oh Akaashi, so cold," Bokuto swooned as he placed Akaashi back down.

Akaashi didn't seem phased by this. It seemed Bokuto's outbursts were an everyday norm to him. "We can cuddle later tonight," he promised, giving Bokuto a peck on the cheek.

"Ew, gross," Sugawara teased, sounding like a small child who witnessed his parents exchanging affection.

"Not in front of the kids," Kuroo added in a similar manner.

"Try to get Yamaguchi up," Akaashi sighed, ignoring the others. "We will be back in about thirty minutes."

"Good luck waking him," Sugawara teased as they left the room. He knew first hand from yesterday morning how deep of a sleeper Yamaguchi was.

Tsukishima scowled at the door as it shut behind the rowdy crew. "Wake him up," he mocked. "Easier said than done."

Tsukishima had known Yamaguchi for ages now and if there was one thing Yamaguchi loved, it was sleep. This guy slept like the dead and only really woke up on his temrs. While Yamaguchi wasn't violent being woken up he definitely didn't react to any of the normal ways to be woken.

"Hey, Yamaguchi, you've been sleeping for two hours, time to get up," Tsukishima sighed, giving his boyfriend a shake.

Yamaguchi replied by tightening his grip on Tsukki's. He nuzzled his head into Tsukki's chest.

"Wake up or I'm leaving you here alone," Tsukishiam tried.

Yamaguchi called him on his bluff by not reacting at all.

Tsukishima tried to wiggle his way out of the grip but Yamaguchi help him fast. If this was how every morning was going to be he'd be in trouble. He then decided to try something new. With a small grin on his face, he shifted a bit before planting a kiss on Yamaguchi lips.

This seemed to catch Yamaguchi's attention. At first Yamaguchi didn't react but after a moment he began to kiss back, releasing a small happy noise. Tsukishima kissed him once more, with a bit more passion using his tongue to brush against Yamaguchi lips. Yamaguchi gave a small shudder of enjoyment as he shifted to make the kiss easier on the both of them. Now that Yamaguchi was sufficiently into the kiss, Tsukishima implemented phase two. He pulled away from Yamaguchi, sitting up in bed as he did so.

"T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi whined as he reached for his lover, his eyes cracking open for the first time. "More kisses."

"Time to get up, Yamaguchi," Tsukisima replied with a smug smile. His plan had worked.

"Tsukki is so mean," Yamaguchi pouted before sitting up in bed.

Perhaps Tsukishima hadn't completely lost all his power. It was nice to know the effect he felt when with Yamaguchi went both ways. "It's nice to see you're finally awake," he replied, his voice deep. He ruffled Yamaguchi's messy hair.

Yamaguchi leaned into the touch and he yawned. "How long was I out?" He asked, leaning against his boyfriend.

"Two hours," Tsukishima replied as he wrapped an arm around Yamaguchi's waist.

Still sitting up, Yamaguchi cuddled beside Tsukki, humming another happy sound.

"No going back to sleep," Tsukishima warned, not pulling away from Yamaguchi despite this. "The others will be back in about twenty minutes."

"Did they say what we're doing?" Yamaguchi asked, his voice still drowsy.

"I didn't ask," Tsukishima shrugged.

Yamaguchi replied with a content humm, enjoying a quiet moment with his boyfriend. Being able to openly cuddle with Tsukki like this was a dream he never thought would come true.

"I said no going to sleep," Tsukishima grumbled, his voice still holding affection despite how low it was. He gave Yamaguchi a gentle nudge.

"M-not," Yamaguchi mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Just relaxing a bit."

"Right," Tsukishima skeptically replied.

The two sat for another long moment before Yamaguchi planted a gentle kiss on Tsukki's cheek. They'd only just started their relationship but planting kisses on his boyfriend felt so natural. It felt like something they'd been doing for years. He rolled himself out of bed and headed to the bathroom to freshen up a bit before the others arrived back. At lunch, they had discussed going down to the beach. Yamaguchi wanted to make sure his team also got some time to celebrate the win, and the beach was a great place to do so.

Authors Note:

Oh my! What a fluffy chapter. It was so sweet I think I may have a cavity. I wonder who their new relationship will affect their travels? Will this honeymoon bliss last forever? What adventures awaits the two love birds? That and more will be answered if you stay tuned.

Hey all, I am so happy so many of you enjoyed the last chapter. I was so ready myself to get these two together so we can explore their romantic relationship as well 3 I hope the next few chapters aren't too slow but soon our two heroes will be thrown back into the fray of their current adventure.

Thank you all so much for the kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. Getting feedback from my readers is always a great way to help fule my writing. Drop a comment or review downbelow and let me know what you think of the current chapter.

It's too bad they hadn't gotten together sooner so that we could have had ourselves a true chapter worthy of the number 69 if you know what I mean ;D

Well, that's all for now, folks. I will see you next chapter!


	70. Celebration At The Beach

Hey all! Sorry chapter 70 is so late. I have been very sick with a cold for the past week. It just won't let up and it's hard for me to sit in front of the computer like this. We got ourselves another fluffy chapter so I hope you enjoy.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Celebration At The Beach

Once at the beach Yamaguchi called out his Pokemon. Brionne and Riolu headed right for the water. Swirlix made herself comfortable on a pile of bags while Eevee remained by Yamaguchi's side. Tsukishima also called out his brood of Pokemon. Salazzle was overjoyed to see Yamaguchi in person again. She wound herself around him in greeting, making herself comfortable. Shelgon headed right for the waves, joining Riolu and Brionne. Protected in its large shell, Shelgon looked much like a rock in the surf. With the way Riolu and Brionne climbed upon it and jumped into the sea, it only enhanced the image. Frogadier perched himself upon a large rock as he watched everyone play. He showed very little interest in joining the fun despite how closely he watched the activities. Servine quietly made herself comfortable on a small mat, enjoying the bright summer sun.

It felt so right to have everyone back together again. Yamaguchi felt like he was home once more amongst his and Tsukki's Pokemon. Kuroo also called out a few of his team to join the fun. Kuroo's Liepard and Absol made themselves comfortable under the same beach umbrella Swirlix was napping under. His Incineroar dug in the sand along with Bokuto's Hawlucha.

Sugawara's Milotic played lifeguard as she floated in the waved with the smaller Pokemon. Sugawara's Cinccino seemed upset about all the sand and spent a fair amount of time cleaning up a large rock to sit on. Audino, on the other hand, followed Sugawara around the beach wherever he went.

It wasn't long before Bokuto and Kuroo suggested a game of beach volleyball. They didn't have a net but they drew a line in the sand to represent one. While Yamaguchi just wanted to snuggle up with Tsukki, Kuroo ended up successfully talking him into joining. Along with Salazzle, Riolu, and Brionne, Yamaguchi teamed up with Kuroo and his Incineroar. On the other side of the net was Bokuto, his Hawlucha and Charizard, Sugawara and his Audino, and Akaashi. Tsukishima opted out, claiming that someone had to keep score.

The game was sloppy with sand flying everywhere. Pokemon like Incineroar and Charizard were far too strong and having them spike the ball at full power was dangerous, but this danger seemed to drive Bokuto.

"Bring it!" Bokuto shouted as Incineroar served a rather horrifying ball.

Yamaguchi was grateful that Incineroar was on his team. He'd never go for a ball with such a strong serve, his arms would break for sure. It seemed like Akaashi and Sugawara must have felt the same for they too avoided the meteor-like attack but Bokuto dove for it, shouting as he did so.

"It's MINE!" Bokuto's voice rang through the air. He received the ball. It sounded like it hurt but he smiled nonetheless. "I still got it!"

The game went on in a similar fashion until half the participants stepped out leaving it just Kuroo and Incineroar versus Bokuto and Charizard.

As the four duked it out, Yamaguchi decided to make a sandcastle with Riolu, Eevee, and Salazzle. He made sandcastles growing up all the time back in Alola. He knew all the best techniques to make an amazing sand structure and while the sand in Kalos wasn't exactly the same, they were still able to successfully impress Sugawara and the others.

"Yamaguchi and I used to join the annual sandcastle contest on Poni Island every year and we'd always win," Tsukishima gloated, proud of his boyfriend's work.

"Hey, teach me how to do that! I want to learn how to make a sandcastle too!" Bokuto begged like a small child, leaving the game behind in favor of observing the sandcastles.

"Bet I can make a bigger, stronger one than you," Kuroo challenged.

"Bring it on!" Bokuto replied, accepting said channeling.

The next thing Yamaguchi knew he was coaching the two in the fine art of castle making.

It was fun to celebrate with his friends and all their Pokemon. Laughter filled the air as they let loose and had as much fun as they could. By the end of it, Yamaguchi's cheeks and shoulders were slightly sunburnt but he was enjoying himself too much to really take notice.

As the sun began to set, the crew set up a bonfire slightly away from the shore as Sugawara and Yamaguchi organized ingredients to make curry. The two trainers, along with a few of their Pokemon prepped the ingredients while the others relaxed around the fire.

"I've heard nothing but good things about Yamaguchi's cooking," Bokuto sang, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"It's the main reason I even bothered keeping in contact with Tsukki," Kuroo joked, earning himself a glare from Tsukki.

Yamaguchi and Sugawara could be heard off to the side stifling their laughter.

"You guys are putting too much pressure on me," Yamaguchi sighed as he and Sugawara finished up the prep. "My cooking isn't that amazing."

"You're cooking is the best in the world," Tsukishima flatly pointed out. "Believe me, after eating that junk they called food at the battle camp."

"Tsukki never finished his plate," Kuroo wined. "Such a picky eater."

"I'm not picky!" Tsukishima snapped. "I just don't like to eat garbage!"

"You weren't eating well at camp?" Yamaguchi pressed in worry as he and Sugawara added a pot to the bonfire and filled it with ingredients.

"I ate just fine. These guys were just trying to overfeed me," Tsukishima said as he pointed an accusing finger at Bokuto and Kuroo.

"To become a top trainer you need to eat three full meals a day," Bokuto replied, doing his best to sound wise.

"Eating three meals a day is fine and all, but I'm not a Snorlax," Tsukishima sighed. "I don't need three servings of rice per meal."

"Three servings is a bit excessive," Yamaguchi agreed. Tsukishima wasn't the biggest eater around and imagining Bokuto and Kuroo trying to force feed Tsukki so much rice was rather amusing.

"And all this guy ever did was complain about not eating your food," Kuroo laughed, giving Tsukishima's back a hearty pat.

"I only mentioned it once or twice," Tsukishima blushed.

"Once or twice a meal," Bokuto laughed.

Tsukishima shot him a scowl from across the bonfire.

"So, how long until dinner is ready?" Kuroo asked, looking at the boiling pot in anticipation.

"Should be done in about 40 minutes," Yamaguchi guessed, giving the pot a stir.

"Aww man, I don't know if I can wait!" Bokuto whined, licking his lips. "It smells so good."

"They haven't even done anything," Tsukishima flatly pointed out.

"I know, but it's the anticipation, y'know?" Bokuto said, ruffling his own hair in frustration.

"Bokuto, calm down," Akaashi sighed.

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh. He'd only just gotten to know Bokuto and Akaashi but he already enjoyed their company. It was good to see that Tsukki also grew closer to others at his camp. He knew Tsukki would deny it, but he could tell Tsukki had become friends with Bokuto and Kuroo.

Once the curry was done Yamaguchi and Sugawara quickly served it up. Tsukishima hadn't been exaggerating when he said Bokuto ate like a Snorlax. His plate was three times as full as anyone else's.

When Bokuto took his first bite of the curry he almost cried. "Yamaguchi! This is so yummy!" he repeated with each bite.

Yamaguchi felt like a child being overly praised by their parents in public. With his cheeks pink he was a bit overwhelmed by Bokuto's aggressive affection and enthusiasm.

"Shut up, you're annoying!" Tsukishima finally said. "You're spoiling my meal with all your moaning."

Everyone at the table burst into laughter and only upon insistence from Akaashi did Bokuto finally calm down.

"How was it? Did you enjoy the meal?" Yamaguchi quietly asked Tsukki as everyone finished off their plate. His cheeks went red as he looked to Tsukki.

Tsukki's cheeks were also red. He really had missed Yamaguchi's amazing cooking after being away for so long. "It was delicious," he replied with a stiff nod.

A bright smile crossed Yamaguchi's face. "Good. I was worried."

"Worry about what? Your cooking is always good," Tsukishima teased, giving Yamaguchi's shoulder a nudge.

"My meals aren't always perfect," Yamaguchi retorted. "I burn things sometimes."

"I bet even your burnt food is amazing," Bokuto cut in. He was still in a state of bliss from the meal.

"It's unfair that Tsukki gets food like this every meal," Kuroo complained, sending Tsukki an accusatory look.

"I don't always eat like this," Tsukisima shot back with a pout. "We sometimes eat out."

"Why bother? It's not like a restaurant's meals would be better," Bokuto said, sounding almost offended.

"Sometimes people just need a break from cooking," Sugawara cut in. "Right, Yamaguchi?"

"Definitely," Yamaguchi sighed, thinking of days where training was so intense cooking three meals was almost impossible.

"I guess I never thought of that," Bokuto hummed thoughtfully.

"Do you ever think?" Tsukishima grumbled causing Kuroo to belt out laughing and Yamaguchi to stifle a snicker.

The group only laughed more at Bokuto's undignified reaction.

Once dinner had been cleaned and cooking items put away Bokuto pulled a box from his bag. "I got a surprise to celebrate the occasion," he said with a large grin. Kuroo grinned alongside him as he was in on the secret.

"I don't want to know," Tsukishima flatly said, but the others in the group showed interest.

"Tada!" Bokuto sang, lifting the lid from the box.

"Fireworks!" Kuroo shouted.

"Wow, I haven't lit fireworks in years," Yamaguchi gasped, unable to hide the excitement he felt.

"Oh, Arceus…" Tsukishima deadpanned. The last thing he needed was that rowdy bunch setting off loud firecrackers.

"Great idea!" Sugawara cheered. "What a fun way to end our celebration! Let's get lighting"

Bokuto, Kuroo, and Sugawara all volunteered to take turns lighting the fireworks. Most of them were small crackers that spit multicolored sparks from the top. A few would shoot into the air and make a small flashy explosion.

Yamaguchi leaned comfortably beside Tsukki, their hands laced, as they watched the light show. Though a bit sunburnt, Yamaguchi was nothing but content. With his head on Tsukishima's shoulder, he smiled and laughed as the others lit up the fireworks.

A few times Bokuto had a close call with improperly secured fireworks. One particularly jumpy one whizzed towards Yamaguchi and Tsukki, causing a shouting match between Kuroo and Tsukki. It wasn't long before the two older trainers had dragged Tsukki from Yamaguchi's side, insisting he take a turn.

"Come on, don't you want to light up fireworks yourself for Yama-chan?" Kuroo pried, pulling Tsukishima to where the lighting station was.

"Shut up and let me go," Tukishima snapped, failing to pull away from Kuroo, not that he was really putting up much of a fight.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but stifle a laugh as Bokuto joined the fray.

"I hope you're not scared, Tsukki," Bokuto laughed, giving Tsukki a smack on the back.

"More like I don't want to be tainted by stupid," Tsukishima napped. He spoke harshly but seemed to enjoy the attention from the older trainers.

"They've basically adopted him as a brother," Akaashi chuckled as he half considered calming Bokuto.

Yamaguchi stifled another laugh. It was good to see Tsukishima close to others and making friends.

With a bit of pushing from Yamaguchi as well, Tsukki broke down and lit up a few smaller fireworks. Yamaguchi made sure to cheer and ooh and aww loudly for them. Tsukishima sent him a scowl. Not even his boyfriend could dodge his salty side all the time but Yamaguchi was unaffected by the sour look.

It was late when the crew headed back to the hotel. They were all sufficiently tired, stifling yawns as they parted ways in the lobby of the hotel. Yamaguchi had to fight to stay awake as he took a quick shower before bed. It was even harder to keep himself together as he waited for Tsukki to emerge from his shower.

Yamaguchi went red as Tsukki emerged shirtless from the bathroom. Tsukki must have caught the hunger in his eyes for a calculated smile spread across his lips.

"Like what you see?" Tsukishima asked as he strode over to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi made a strange coughing sound as he stumbled over the word "cuddle".

Tsukishima sat down at the foot of Yamaguchi bed in a game of hard to get. "What was that, Yamaguchi, you want to sleep in separate beds?" 

"T-T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi sputtered, crawling over to his shirtless boyfriend.

"Guess I'll just go over to my bed then," Tsukisima shrugged.

"Being mean," he pouted before taking Tsukki into his arms. Tsukishima's body was toned but his skin was soft. It was something Yamaguchi could easily melt into.

"If you want me to stay, you have to ask," Tsukishima said, using a hand to lift Yamaguchi's chin to look him in the eyes.

Yamaguchi's face was red and his eyes were needy. This was a whole new look for him and Tsukishima wasn't expecting it to affect him as much as it did. Now Tsukishima felt like the one with peanut butter in his mouth.

"Won't you cuddle with me tonight?" Yamaguchi sweetly asked, shifting his head a bit to nuzzle Tsukki's hand with his cheek.

Tsukishima felt something light up inside of him. Had Yamaguchi always been this sexy. "You better be careful with what you ask for," Tsukishima replied in a husky voice.

Yamaguchi released a needy whimper before the two locked lips. Tsukishima securely wrapped his arms around Yamaguchi as the smaller trainer went a bit unbalanced from the force. The kiss was wet and sloppy but for the two it felt like pure bliss.

They exchanged several other passionate kisses as they collapsed on the bed. They became tangled in one another, both so new to such passionate touching. Both ran purely on instinct, too caught up in one another to really care how novice they must have looked. It was only when Eevee released a supportive cheer that the two came back to their senses.

The small shiny Pokemon was watching them from the cushioned armchair by the window. She seemed more than happy to see the two getting along so well, though she probably was unaware of how intimate their touching was. Eevee trilled once more as if the cheer the two on.

Feeling utterly embarrassed, Yamaguchi rolled away from Tsukki. Eevee was far too young and innocent to witness such actions. Tsukishima was left to pout in the bed as he watched his boyfriend roll out of bed to retrieve the baby pokemon.

"S-Sorry, Eevee. Almost forgot about you," Yamaguchi sheepishly replied as he carried Eevee back to his bed.

Tsukishima slipped his shirt on, a bit disappointed by the cock block. He didn't let it get to him. Today was just day one of their relationship. There'd be plenty of more chances for him to pin Yamaguchi to the bed and have his way with him.

"We can still sleep together?" Yamaguchi asked, now settling both himself and Eevee into the bed.

Tsukishima had expected the question. "I suppose I could share a bed with you and the baby," he shrugged.

"We'd be happy to have you," Yamaguchi said, scooting over to make room. Eevee gave a loud trill of agreement.

Tsukishima didn't know if Yamaguchi was aware of how alluring he could be. Was he just pretending not to know or was it an act? Regardless, Tsukishima slipped into bed next to him.

"I suppose after all your hard work you deserve cuddles," Tsukishima said as the two snuggled into the small bed.

Yamaguchi wasted little time wrapping himself around Tsukki. If it were any other human Tsukishima would pitch a fit about being touched too much but when it came to Yamaguchi it was more than welcome. Tsukishima wrapped his long arms around Yamaguchi, pulling him in close. Despite the bed being so small the two seemed to fit like two perfect puzzle pieces. Even Eevee found a comfortable position above their heads. It was like there was room for the whole family to fit perfectly.

"Best day ever," Yamaguchi sighed into Tsukki's neck. This won him a gravelly chuckle from Tsukki. Yamaguchi couldn't hide his smile.

Reaching up once more, Tsukshima clicked off the lamp. With the room now dark, Yamaguchi's exhaustion washed over him once more. One last time the two exchanged a loving tired kiss. They mumbled incoherent 'goodnights' muffled 'I love you' before snuggling down. As always, Yamaguchi was first to fall asleep but for the first time in a while, Tsukishima was quick to follow. Being the most comfortable he's been in a long time, how could he not.

Author Notes:

What a nice day at the beach for Yamguchi. Having friends there to celebrate his victory must have made him feel like top boy. Our two new love birds don't seem shy about being intimate with one another. Too bad Eevee had to break it up. She know not what she did. I wonder when the two will finally get time to go all out with one another.

As always, thank you all so much for the kind follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all so do leave a comment down below.

Next weeks chapter will probably be delayed. I will be traveling so expect chapter 71 in two weeks. I hope you all take care until then.

I am almost out of energy so I will see you all next chapter!


	71. Our First Date?

Hey all! Sorry I was not around to post last week. Here is chapter 71. I'm still down with an infection of some sort so chapters may be slow if I don't heal up soon. I do have several chapters written it's just a matter of posting them :P Anyways, let's find out what life has in store for our two love birds!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer_Squids (they are also back from their vacation). You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

I choose you, Chapter 71!

Our First Date?

The next morning Yamaguchi was, as always, difficult to wake up. All he wanted was to snuggle Tsukishima until the end of time. Could you blame him? Tsukishima was warm, solid and familiar. Yamaguchi felt safe and at ease from all of life's worries when he was held by Tsukki.

Tsukishima also loves holding Yamaguchi close but unlike Yamaguchi he gets antsy if he sits awake for too long. He thought about having some fun with his sleeping boyfriend but knew better than to do anything until their relationship was a bit more established. He knew Yamaguchi better than anyone but this whole boyfriend thing was new territory. The last thing he wanted to do was mess it up or hurt Yamaguchi somehow. Though one would never know it by looking at him, Tsukki could be considerate like that.

After a while, Tsukishima became aware of Yamaguchi possibly being more conscious than he was letting on. Yamaguchi's breathing wasn't quite as rhythmic and his hold on Tsukishima tightened on and off. "Hey, are you awake?" he whispered. He could feel Yamaguchi's smile against his neck. "If you're awake, then get up."

"Yamaguchi only wakes up for a kiss," Yamaguchi mumbled into Tsukki's neck.

Tsukishima found this both hot yet annoying at the same time. He should've never woken him with kisses yesterday. Now Yamaguchi expected it. Then again, Tsukishima didn't really mind wake up kisses.

Tsukishima shifted a bit, planting a gentle kiss on Yamaguchi's forehead. "You awake now?"

"Lips!" Yamaguchi bravely replied, not releasing his hold on his boyfriend.

With a roll of his eyes and a smile he couldn't hide, Tsukishima shifted once more, planting a gentle kiss on Yamaguchi's lips. Yamaguchi returned the kiss just as quickly.

"Better?" Tsukishima asked, their lips still touching.

"Much better," Yamaguchi sighed before pressing their lips together once more.

Waking up like this was a dream for both trainers. They'd never know it but they'd just so happened to share similar morning fantasies with one another. Waking with a kiss on the lips from your love was the only way to start a day as far as they were concerned.

The kiss seemed to energize Yamaguchi for the next thing he did was sit up, yawn loudly and stretch his arms wide. As he did so Tsukishima watched him with loving eyes. This had to be the best morning in both their lives thus far.

When Tsukishima sat up Eevee rolled like a potato from the pillow between the two. Despite this tumble she didn't seem to be awake. Like pokemon, like trainer. She slept just as deep as Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi giggles lightly as he brushed his fingers through her soft mane. Tsukishima leaned up against the headboard, examining his boyfriend with much affection.

"You ever think about what you're going to evolve Eevee into?" Tsukishima asked as he watched Yamaguchi gently coax the shiny awake.

"Not really," Yamaguchi hummed as he picked Eevee up and placed her in his lap. "I think any evolution would be nice. I kind of want to wait until she is a bit older and see if she has an opinion."

Tsukishima smiled as Eevee gave a small purr. "Not once have you thought about it? Do you have no opinion on the matter?"

Yamaguchi considered the question as he coaxed Eevee awake. The small shiny Pokemon nuzzled his hand before giving a large yawn. "Well, I always thought Umbreon was pretty cool, and Leafeon is so pretty, and one of my family's frequent customers had a Glaceon that was just the sweetest. But I wouldn't want to force Eevee into an evolution she doesn't want."

Tsukishima released a breathy chuckle before leaning over a planting a small kiss on Yamaguchi's cheek. His boyfriend really was too good for this world. Without saying a word he then stood from the bed and strode to the bathroom.

With red cheeks, Yamaguchi watched Tsukki traverse the room. His cheek tingled where Tsukki had just kissed him.

"We better get ready to head out. You have a reservation at the museum, don't you?" Tsukishima asked. Not really expecting an answer he shut the door to the bathroom.

Yamaguchi sat in bed for a moment as he processed the question. That was right, he'd be going to the museum to view the fossil lab. He forgot to ask Tsukki to accompany him but he was certain he didn't need to. Tsukki was definitely coming along.

Placing Eevee on the floor, Yamaguchi began gathering all his clothes for the day. He was so excited to take Tsukki to see the fossils. It was almost like their very first date as boyfriends. Just the idea did something crazy to his chest. He wondered if Tsukki thought it the same way.

When Tsukishima exited the bathroom Yamaguchi rushed in after him. He was far too excited for the day's events. Not bothering to lock the door, he emptied his bladder, washed his hands, and joined Tsukki back in the room.

"So what are you hoping to see today at the museum?" Yamaguchi asked as he pulled off his nightshirt and shorts.

"I wouldn't mind seeing live specimens I suppose," Tsukishima calmly answered as he watched his shirtless boyfriend with hungry eyes.

"I wonder how many revived ancient Pokemon they'll have at the museum?" Yamaguchi said in excitement, not noticing how closely Tsukki was watching him change.

"I guess we'll just have to find out," Tsukishima hummed, a bit disappointed that the show was over now that Yamaguchi was dressed for the day.

"I think Sugawara wanted to meet for breakfast before we head to the museum so I'll message him now," Yamaguchi said as he opened his dex to send the message.

"Whatever," Tsukishima grumbled, knowing too well that Bokuto and Kuroo would most likely be there. He couldn't wait for it to be just him and Yamaguchi for once. It felt like ages since it was just the two of them.

"He said they'll meet us in the lobby in ten minutes. He has another cafe he wants to take us to!" Yamaguchi cheered, knowing Sugawara had a great taste in food.

Tsukishima sighed once more before gathering his things for the day. It wasn't long before he and Yamaguchi were headed to the lobby. The two walked close as they traversed the hotel. Now that their romance was established walking close enough to brush hands and arms didn't put them on edge quite the same way it did before. Neither were big on PDA, but being able to be close and relaxed at the same time was a welcomed feeling.

They arrived at the lobby first and found a nice spot on a couch to sit while they waited. They sat close, but as people filtered in and out of the lobby Yamaguchi found himself becoming a bit shy about PDA. While they sat shoulder to shoulder they refrained from holding hands. Most of the people who did pass through didn't even look their way and the ones that did recognised Yamaguchi, congratulating him on yesterday's win.

It wasn't long before the others arrived. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima heard them before they saw them. Kuroo's and Bokuto's voices echoed through the halls and upon hearing them Tsukishima rolled his eyes. Yamaguchi couldn't help but snicker as he playfully nudged Tsukki.

"It's good to see you're both awake," Sugawara greeted with a smile. "I was worried we'd have to come up there and pry Yamaguchi out of bed."

"I basically did just that," Tsukishima flatly replied.

"I'm not that bad at waking up," Yamaguchi whined, his cheeks pink.

"Getting you out of bed is like getting burnt sugar off the bottom of a pan," Sugawara joked. No one else but Yamaguchi seemed to understand what he meant, but Bokuto laughed anyway.

With that the crew followed Sugawara to the small cafe. It was just across the street from their hotel so the walk was short but sweet.

"Are you two excited for the museum today?" Akaashi calmly asked once they were all settled in at the table.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see what they have to show us," Yamaguchi nodded.

"That sounds like a lot of fun," Kuroo replied, looking genuinely interested.

"I wish you were able to bring more than just one person with you," Bokuto pouted.

"Even if I had rejected going, it's not like Yamaguchi would have invited you," Tsukishima glared.

"That's not true! Right, Yama!" Bokuto cried, looking at Yamaguchi for help.

Yamaguchi opened his mouth a few times, unsure of what to say. "I mean, um, yeah… maybe," he weakly shrugged.

"See, Tsukki, Yama and I are buddies! Right, Yama!?" Bokuto laughed.

"Y-Yeah…" Yamaguchi sputtered. He only really got to know Bokuto yesterday but he didn't want to insult his new friend.

"Stop it, Bokuto," Akaashi flatly cut in. "You're making Yamaguchi uncomfortable."

"What, no way," Bokuto gasped. "Sorry, Yama!"

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink as he tried his best to not look as uncomfortable as he felt.

Breakfast went by fast but the meal was pleasant. They talked of what they would be doing tomorrow as today was the last day they'd all be in Ambrette Town. Bokuto and Akaashi would be heading back to the league for elite four reasons. Kuroo would head somewhere to meet up with Kenma again. Sugawara was heading off to meet with Daichi before readying himself for a showcase, and Yamaguchi and Tsukishima would head back to Shalour City to take on the gym once more. Sugawara offered to give them a drive but they rejected it. Yamaguchi could tell that Tsukki was done with people for the most part.

After breakfast they parted ways. Bokuto and Kuroo ran off towards the beach while Sugawara and Akaashi headed for the shopping center. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima walked close to one another through town as they headed to the fossil lab museum. Yamaguchi felt pure joy to be walking with Eevee in his arms and Tsukki beside him once more. All was right with the world.

"I wonder what sorts of things we will do," Yamaguchi chattered as they walked. "It's so exciting that we get a backstage peek at things. Can you believe we get a backstage visit? Who would have thought Showcases could have rewards like this?"

Tsukishima quietly nodded as he listened to Yamaguchi yammering on and on about how excited he was. Though his face was neutral, deep down Tsukki felt nothing but relief to have Yamaguchi's unstoppable chatter back. It really did calm him down in a way no one could.

When the two arrived at the lab Yamaguchi juggled their tickets out of his pocket and presented them at the gate with shaking hands. They were told they'd start their tour with a backstage look at the facilities and after they could explore the normal museum as much as they wanted to. Yamaguchi shook with excitement as they walked down the halls. As they passed by different exhibits of the museum they could catch glances of what the museum had to offer. There was a room labeled 'Fossil Specimens' and as they passed, Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki with a large smile. Tsukki's eyes fixed on the room with much interest as they passed. Joy filled Yamaguchi at the controlled excitement he saw in Tsukki.

Once they entered the part of the museum that was blocked off to the general public they were led down a relatively normal hall before entering the research facility. The two were warmly greeted by several scientists. They all congratulated Yamaguchi on his win as they introduced themselves. They were then introduced to two younger researchers who looked almost the same age as themselves.

"Hello, my name is Kindaichi and this here is Kunimi," a tall researcher with black hair styled in such a way that he resembled a turnup greeted. Kindaichi gave them a welcome smile while his partner, Kunimi, barely looked their way.

"I-I'm Yamaguchi, this is Eevee and this is Tsukki… I mean Tsukishima," Yamaguchi replied with one of his friendly smiles. Eevee gave a happy trill from Yamaguchi's arms. Tsukki barely glanced at the two as he looked around the research facility.

"We will be the ones to take you around this afternoon," Kindaichi carried on, looking a bit annoyed at Tsukki blatantly ignoring them as he gave Eevee a pat on the head.

"I'm looking forward to it," Yamaguchi said as Eevee gave another happy trill.

While Kindaichi looked annoyed at Tsukki's rude behaviour, Kunimi didn't seem to care at all. In fact, Kunimi was being just as distant, and if Yamaguchi wasn't such close friends with Tsukki he'd probably find the behaviour insulting.

With greetings out of the way, Kunimi and Kindaichi led the two through the lab, talking about different research projects taking place. They met older researchers who studied ancient Pokemon diets, they met researchers who studied mystery fossils. Yamaguchi listened and enjoyed as Tsukki talked with each researcher about this and that. He looked to be having such a good time despite not smiling so much. Yamaguchi could see the smile in his eyes.

It was late afternoon by the time they finished their tour around the research office. "How about we go for lunch?" Kindaichi suggested as Tsukki carried on talking with some older researcher about the different theoretical colorings of the sail-like structure Amaura and Aurorus had.

"Finally, I've had about enough of all this nerd talk," Kunimi sighed like a child who'd had to listen to two adults talk about a boring complicated topic.

"Nerd talk?" Yamaguchi snapped, insulted in Tsukki's place, as Tsukki hadn't heard the comment himself.

"You'll have to excuse Kunimi," Kindaichi apologised. "He's not one of our normal researchers here and Dinosaur Pokemon aren't really his thing…"

"What a waste," Tsukishima cut in, apparently done with his other conversation. "Why bother being here if you don't like dinosaur Pokemon?"

"It's none of your business really," Kunimi frowned, not really looking like he wanted a fight but equally not submitting to Tsukki.

"Let's go get lunch and then we can take your Jaw fossil to the regeneration machine," Kindaichi cut in before an argument could break out.

"Wow, so you guys will regenerate it for me for real!?" Yamaguchi gasped in genuine shock.

"It was part of your grand prize," Kunimi replied with an eye roll. This won him a glare from Tsukki.

"Yeah, we can head over to the regeneration machine after lunch," Kindaichi said with a smile and a nod, ignoring the two crabby members of the group.

Kindaichi and Kunimi talked ahead of the two. Yamaguchi walked close to Tsukki unable to hide his smile as their shoulders bumped. Despite the tension between Kunimi and Tsukki, Yamaguchi was having a blast. It was so wonderful to see Tsukki enjoying himself so much. He wanted so badly to take Tsukki's hand, but something was stopping him. Perhaps it was because they were around two strangers.

"So, what did you like best about the research facility?" Yamaguchi asked, looking at Tsukki.

"I guess all of it was pretty cool, but I really want to learn more about ancient foods I suppose…" Tsukishima replied with much interest. Fossil Pokemon were one topic Tsukki could go on and on about if given the opportunity.

Yamaguchi nodded and smiled as Tsukki, for a change, babbled on and on about everything they had seen. Holding Eevee securely in his arms, Yamaguchi was so happy to see how much fun Tsukki was having. As Yamaguchi intently listened, something very odd caught his eye through an open door just behind Tsukki. Yamaguchi stopped in his tracks as a shiver ran down his spine. There, staring back at him through the door was a meteor that looked horribly similar to the one Iwaizumi had them dig up before.

"Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima asked, sounding a bit annoyed. Eevee gave a small trill of concern as her master shivered.

"Is something the matter?" Kindaichi asked upon realizing Tsukishima and Yamagucih had stopped following them.

"That meteor…" was all Yamaguchi got out.. "I thought you guys studied fossils…"

"Oh that thing?" Kindaichi asked, standing next to Yamaguchi. "That's actually why Kunimi is here."

"I've been studying it with my senpai," Kunimi explained.

"Y-Your senpai?" Yamaguchi asked. He had a bad feeling.

"Iwaizumi," Kunimi shrugged. "You know him, don't you? He said he knew you yesterday when he saw you performing on TV."

"Iwaizumi is here?" Tsukishima asked. He also seemed pretty unhappy about this information.

"No, he's out today…" Kunimi replied, looking at the two in suspicion. "Why, you got a problem with him?"

"N-No!" Yamaguchi replied quickly while Tsukki simultaneously spat out "Yes!"

Kunimi looked on at the two in suspicion while Kindaichi looked confused.

"It's just that the last two time we met with him we also met with other unpleasant people," Yamaguchi vaguely explained.

"He's a nice guy, but attracts riff raff," Tsukishima scowled.

"Well, he's not here today so you can relax," Kunimi shrugged.

"Iwaizumi-senpai researches a lot of high profile things so I'm not surprised to hear he attracts riff raff," Kindaichi said as they walked down the hall towards the staff lunch room. "But this facility is very secure, so there's nothing to worry about."

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki in worry. Tsukki sent him a shrug but he too looked unconvinced. He'd be damned if he let anything happen to Yamaguchi again. They both felt skeptical but Kindaichi was probably right about this facility being safe.

Author Notes:

Oh my! What do we have here? The meteorite from before! Could this mean their first date is doomed or perhaps all is well? I wonder how the regeneration of the Jaw Fossil will go? What is Yamaguchi going to do with a fossil Pokemon on his team? That and more will be revealed if you stay tuned.

Thank you all so much for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, comments and reviews. I love feedback from my readers so leave me a comment down below.

I hope I'm not making Yamaguchi and Tsukki too mushy. I can't help but write the fluff! I just want the two to be soft and happy. It's the best medicine for when I'm sick :P

Well, I will see you all next chapter!


	72. The Perfect Pair

Hey all! Here is chapter 72! It's time for Yamaguchi to regenerate that Jaw Fossil. I can't wait to meet the new Pokemon! I hope you are all ready for some excitement!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name crow-forest. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Chapter 72, I choose you!

The Perfect Pair

Part of Yamaguchi's win was also a small catered lunch. An array of sandwiches, berries, and cookies along with several beverage options were provided by a local bakery. By the time they set their eyes on the spread Yamaguchi's worries had gone to the back of his mind. It was only when he picked out his sandwich that he realized how hungry he felt. Along with Kindaichi and Kunimi, the two trainers made themselves comfortable around a small table.

They had a relatively pleasant conversation considering Kunimi and Tsukki were refusing to be civil with one another. Yamaguchi learned that Kindaichi specialized in Ancient Human civilization and Pokemon and how they lived. Kunimi specialized in studying energy and how it's released through different materials. One example he gave was the energy used in stone to evolve Pokemon.

"It's also the basic idea for regenerating fossils," Tsukishima explained, not wanting to look uneducated. "They basically pump it with energy until the Pokemon is restored."

"Wow, I can't wait to get my jaw fossil restored," Yamaguchi smiled, feeling truly excited. He peaked at Tsukki to see a twinkle in his eyes indicating he couldn't wait.

"Well, there is no better time than the present," Kindaichi declared. "That is, if you guys are done with lunch."

"I'm ready," Yamaguchi immediately answered as Tsukki nodded silently beside him.

"I was thinking about getting one more sandwich, but I guess I'm done," Kunimi shrugged.

Kindaichi and Kunimi once more lead the two down the halls in the opposite direction they had come. Yamaguchi carried a sleepy Eevee in his arms as he walked beside Tsukki. He couldn't help but feel like Tsukki was walking much closer to him than before. Perhaps his mind was still on that meteorite.

"So, you two are both trainers?" Kindaichi asked in an attempt to start a conversation with the two guests. "I know you're into showcases, but what about you?" he asked, pointing to each trainer respectively.

"League," Tsukishima replied, his expression a bit cold.

Kindaichi seemed bothered by Tsukishima's attitude but did well to not let it get to him. They were guests after all and he'd get into heaps of trouble if they got into a fight. "So I guess that means you collect badges?" He asked.

"Tsukki already has three badges," Yamaguchi bragged. "Tomorrow we are heading to Shalour City so he can get his fourth badge. Tsukki is definitely going to win it no problem."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima scolded as he always does when Yamaguchi brags a bit too much about him.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologised as Kindaichi stifled a laugh.

"You brag about him like he's your boyfriend or something," Kunimi dryly commented.

For a moment an awkward pause hung between the four as they walked down the hall. Yamaguchi wondered if he should tell them. For some reason, he became very shy about the topic.

"W-Well, h-he is my boyfriend," Yamaguchi somehow got out as he gently took Tsukki's hand in his own. He couldn't believe he could say it and have it be true. He all of a sudden felt the overwhelming need to faint.

Tsukishima glared at the two scientists, daring them to say something. Both scientists seemed a bit shocked by the news. With how shy Yamaguchi was and how scary Tsukki was they made an odd pair.

"Well, good for you two," Kindaichi said with a genuine smile. "Wish I could get myself a date," he hummed.

"Maybe if you did something about your hair," Kunimi mumbled.

"The ladies like the hair!" Kundaichi defended.

"Really? I don't think anyone wants to date a turnip," Tsukishima snickered.

Yamaguchi stifled a laugh.

"What was that, glasses?" Kindaichi snapped.

"Hey, no fighting with the guests, remember?" Kunimi said giving Kindaichi a playful nudge.

Crossing his arms Kindaichi gave up the fight but did mumble something about cool hair and stupid glasses.

For the rest of their walk down the hall Yamaguchi and Tsukki comfortably held hands and it wasn't long until they made it to the room with the regeneration machine.

As the two walked into the room they were greeted by two older scientists. An older man with dark short hair and a younger man with short dirty blond hair. The older man smiled upon seeing them and seemed very kind and approachable. The younger man, on the other hand, had a bit of a scowl going but didn't seem too bothered by the new guests.

"This here is Professor Irihata Nobuteru," Kindaichi said, motioning to the older man. "He is in charge of the generation machine and heads the research done on energy and objects."

"It's nice to meet you two," Professor Irihata kindly greeted. "And congratulations on the win. You really seem to know your fossils."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Yamaguchi replied as he and Tsukki bowed in greeting. "Tsukki knows a lot more about fossils than I do," he blushed, still unable to take a compliment.

Tsukki side-eyed Yamaguchi as Professor Irihata kindly chuckled at his modesty.

"And this here is Professor Mizoguchi Sadayuki, he is Professor Irihata's assistant," Kindaichi carried on with introductions.

"I hope these two haven't been slacking off while showing you around," Professor Mizoguchi greeted, sending Kunimi an accusing look.

Kunimi shifted but didn't drop his cool facade.

"They've been doing a great job at showing us around," Yamaguchi insisted.

Professor Mizoguchi didn't seem convinced, but he didn't comment on it anymore.

"So, I take it you're here to regenerate that Jaw Fossil of yours?" Professor Irihata asked, looking at Yamaguchi.

"Oh, yeah! If that's okay," Yamaguchi nodded, feeling quite giddy.

"Of course it is," Professor Irihata chuckled. "If you just hand it over here we can get the regeneration process on the way."

Yamaguchi felt a rush of excitement as he clumsily dug through his bad for the fossil. He felt his heart almost stop as he dug around the bad for it but couldn't feel it. It was only after he handed Eevee to Tsukki and properly looked that he found it at the very bottom of his bag.

"H-Here, Tsukki, you should do it," Yamaguchi insisted as he turned to his boyfriend handing him the jaw fossil.

Tsukishima seemed the most shocked out of everyone in the room. "But you're the one who won…"

"A fossil Pokemon has always been your dream, not mine and I know you'll take good care of them," Yamaguchi explained, feeling so embarrassed by the gesture of love that he could barely see. "Besides, I won it for you," he added, his face so red he looked like he could faint at any moment.

Without waiting for Tsukki to reply, Yamaguchi grabbed Eevee from him and shoved the fossil into his hands.

Kunimi snickered, while Kindaichi looked genuinely touched by the gesture of love.

"Ah, to be young and in love," Professor Irihata commented with a nostalgic sigh. "So, you want to revive it or not?"

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki, encouraging him to go ahead and do it, for love of Arceus.

Tsukki honestly didn't know what to say. What he did want to do was grab Yamaguchi in his arms and hold him close. All he could do now was lean down and give Yamaguchi a soft kiss on the cheek. He really wasn't worthy of his sweet and caring boyfriend. He'd have to wait until tonight to show Yamaguchi just how grateful he really was.

Yamaguchi's cheeks were bright red as he watched Tsukki step forward to hand Professor Irihata the Jaw Fossil.

"I'll also need a Pokeball for it for when it's fully generated," Professor Irihata explained. "Any Pokeball will do."

It only took Tsukki a moment to fish out an unused dusk ball he had been given during camp. Wordlessly, he handed it over to the Professor.

"Now we put the fossil into this end of the machine and the ball at the other end," Professor Irihata explained as he placed both items where they belonged.

"When the Fossil Pokemon has fully regenerated it will go into the Pokeball," Tsukishima finished the explanation, doing his best to hide just how excited he felt.

"Looks like you've done your research," Professor Irihata chuckled.

"Nerd," Kunimi mumbled, winning himself a smack on the head from Professor Mizoguchi.

"Unfortunately, the regeneration takes a bit of time so make yourselves comfortable," Professor Irihata said, gesturing to a few chairs around the room. "Maybe about 30 or 40 minutes total."

Tsukishima didn't seem too surprised by this news and he had a look in his eye that read he wanted to speak more with Professor Irihata. Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile as he placed Eevee on one of the chairs. Tsukki was already jumping into a conversation about the types of ancient Pokemon the professor had worked with.

"Hey, I'm going to head to the restroom if that's okay," Yamaguchi said. "Do you mind keeping an eye on Eevee?"

"Sure," Tsukishima quickly replied before going back to his conversation with Professor Irihata.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile. He hadn't seen Tsukki this excited in ages. He was so happy Tsukki was enjoying today.

"I'll take you," Kindaichi offered. "I also need to run to the toilet anyway."

Yamaguchi gave a nod and the two exited the room. He walked beside Kindaichi as they headed in a direction. If he was being honest, he was already quite turned around. If someone asked him to find the exit out, he'd probably be doomed.

"So, Iwaizumi is your senpai?" Yamaguchi asked as they made their way down the hall.

"Yep, we also went to the same Pokemon Prep Academy back in Kanto. That's where I met him," Kindaichi said with a nod.

"Oh, you went to the same Pokemon Prep Academy? Does that mean you also know Oikawa?" Yamaguchi asked. He wondered just how many people went to the same Academy around here.

"Yeah, they were both my Senpai," Kindaichi sounded nostalgic, as if he was thinking of the good old days.

"Wow, so that means you also know Kageyama then?" Yamaguchi asked with a smile. Yamaguchi immediately knew he asked the wrong question as a dark aura excreted from Kindaichi.

"Is that asshole in Kalos, too?" Kindaichi asked, looking to Yamaguchi with a horrifying look in his eyes.

"Y-Y-Yeah," Yamaguchi stammered. He wished he hadn't brought up Kageyama.

"Well, he better not show his face around here," Kindaichi pouted.

"R-Right," Yamaguchi awkwardly replied. If he was being honest, he really didn't want to know why Kindaichi had a problem with Kageyama.

An awkward silence hung between the two for only a moment as they approached the toilets. Yamaguchi thanked Arceus.

The two entered the bathroom. Yamaguchi went into a stall, not wanting to have to deal with Kindaichi for the moment. He hoped maybe they could reset or something if they took a moment to be away from one another. As Yamaguchi readied to relieve himself he could hear Kindaichi doing just that in the urinal. Yamaguchi suddenly felt an awkward shyness wash over him, almost like he wanted to wait until Kindaichi left. It wasn't normal for him to use a stall to pee, he normally went to the urinal and if Kindaichi just heard him pee then maybe he'd think Yamaguchi was avoiding him. Yamaguchi knew he was definitely overthinking it.

"Hey, I'll wait for you outside," Kindaichi said as he washed his hands at the sink. "Take your time."

"O-Okay," Yamaguchi awkwardly replied. He heard the door shut, waited for a moment, and then finally relieved himself.

Finished with his duty, Yamaguchi headed to wash his hands. When he saw himself in the mirror he noticed his cheeks were still a bit pink. He couldn't go out like this. Kindaichi would think he was weird for blushing. In an attempt to calm down Yamaguchi splashed a bit of cold water on his face. 'Why do I always have to be so awkward?' he internally moaned.

Yamaguchi didn't have much time to agonize over how odd he was for before he could even dry his face the light to the bathroom flashed off. He found himself in complete darkness. There wasn't a speck of light anywhere. Confused, he stood there for a moment trying to orient himself. He heard a strange sound from outside the restroom like a struggle almost.

"K-Kindaichi?" Yamaguchi called, his voice echoing eerily loud off of the bathroom walls. "Are you okay?"

Not getting a reply Yamaguchi headed for the exit. Walking slowly he felt around the wall until he found the door. When he opened the door, he was shocked to find the hall was just as dark as the bathroom.

"Kindaichi?" Yamaguchi called once more. "What's going on?"

Just as the question left Yamaguchi's mouth, he heard someone shout. "Get him!"

In a panic, Yamaguchi flailed around, but it was too dark for him to see where he was going or where the owner of the voice came from. He felt the wind of someone's fist pass by him.

"Yamaguchi! Run!" Kindaichi shouted. He sounded like he was struggling against someone.

With his eyes barely used to the dark Yamaguchi stumbled back. He didn't know where to run to or what way to go. He began to feel a bit panicked as he took sloppy steps away from the bathroom.

"Don't let him get away," another voice called.

Yamaguchi made an odd yelping sound as he made to run. He only went a few steps forward before he ran into something solid. Someone grabbed him by the wrist and held him tight.

"I got him," came the strong voice of whoever had Yamaguchi's wrist.

"Let me go!" Yamaguchi shouted as he struggled. As he did so a loud siren filled the halls and with it came flashes of red lights.

"We've been found out, but we need that meteor," the man restraining Yamaguchi spoke.

As Yamaguchi looked around he once again felt overwhelmed by horror, for the person restraining Kindaichi wore an Ekans mask. He then turned to find the man holding him had short dark hair. Large hooded eyes glared at him from the other side of an Arbok mask. It was that Evil Team again!

"Admin Hiroo, hand that one over to me and I'll hold on to him for now," a female grunt said.

Admin Hiroo gave a short nod as he roughly handed Yamaguchi off to the woman. Yamaguchi saw his chance, and as the hand off happened he flailed wildly causing both to release their hold on him. As quickly as he could, Yamaguchi stumbled away.

"Get him!" Admin Hiroo's voice echoed from behind Yamaguchi and the next thing he heard were several food steps.

Yamaguchi ran as fast as he could through the flashing hallways. The angry siren blared in his ears making it hard for him to think. He could try to battle but he hadn't a clue how many were after him. Why did this have to happen to him again? Why today? Why on his first date with Tsukki? Yamaguchi felt like he could just cry and as he rounded the corner he ran into something hard.

Strong hands caught him on either side of his soldiers, stopping him from falling. Yamaguchi struggled the hold but stopped when he heard Tsukki say "Yamaguchi it's okay. It's me."

"T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi almost cried upon realising who it was. He felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"Yamaguchi, are you okay?" Tsukishima asked upon seeing how shaken his boyfriend was.

Before Yamaguchi could answer the shouts of the grunts caught their attention. "Hey, there's another one!"

Tsukishima looked ready to kill upon seeing the four grunts that had been pursuing Yamaguchi. "It's these guys again," Tsukishima growled as he held Salazzle's Pokeball in his hands. He squared off against the four.

"Haha, looks like this one wants to battle," The large female grunt laughed as she and her teammate grabbed for their own Pokeballs.

Tsukki was the best trainer Yamaguchi knew, but he wasn't going to let him do this alone. Four against one was not fair. Grabbing Riolu's ball he stood beside Tsukki.

"Yamaguchi-!" Tsukishima said, a moment away from stopping his boyfriend.

"I've fought them before and I'll do it again," Yamaguchi cut him off before he could finish. And with that he called out Riolu.

Riolu recognized the grunts for who they were. She gave a growl and a bark ready to destroy them for harassing her master once again.

Tsukishiam couldn't help but smile at the chance of confidence in his boyfriend. Without another word, he called out Salazzle.

The four trainers in front of them called out their Pokemon, an Ekins, a Stunky, a Rattata, and a galarian Zigzagoon. The battle started in a flash.

"Salazzle, use flamethrower," Tsukishima called.

"Riolu, Aura Sphere," Yamaguchi commanded.

The two Pokemon worked in tandem, shooting down the Rattata and Ekans in one hit. Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile at Tsukki who smiled back. It felt so great to battle beside him.

Stunky shot a Sludge Bomb at Riolu, but Tsukki commanded Salazzle to intercept it with Dragon Rage, blocking the attack. In turn, Yamaguchi commanded Riolu to use Aura Sphere to block a Pin Missile that was headed right at Salazzle.

It was almost like the two were telepathically connected with how easy it was for them to fight side by side like they were.

"Riolu, Aura Sphere once more," Yamaguchi shouted.

"Salazzle, use Dragon Rage," Tsukishima commanded.

In just those two hits both Zigzagoon and Stunky were down for the count.

"What do we do now?" One of the grunts cried.

"We retreat, you idiot!" The female grunt growled and without another word, the grunts exited the way they came.

Yamaguchi and Tsukki could have pursued them but they were two busy looking at one another. They had really just fought off a bunch of those grunts together. They only stared for a moment before they both went in for a kiss.

It was another sloppy kiss. The sort of kiss you exchange when you don't care if others are watching. They held each other tight as the sirens cried all around them. Riolu and Salazzle gathered at their ankles, happy to see their trainers getting on so well.

"I-I can't believe that just happened," Yamaguchi gasped once they broke the kiss.

"I guess that asshole Kageyama isn't good for nothing after all," Tsukishima growled as he gently caressed Yamaguchi's cheek. "You and Riolu were amazing."

Yamaguchi leaned his head into Tsukki's hand. He released a small giggle as he admired his boyfriend. Not only were they compatible as friends and lovers, but they seem to do well as battle partners too.

Author Notes:

Oh my! Another run in with the evil team. It's happening more and more often for poor Yamaguchi. What could this mean? To see our two boys fight side by side was amazing. I wonder what more is in store for our two heros! Stay tuned to find out!

Hey all. I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you all so much for the likes, kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from my readers so leave a comment down below and let me know what you think,

Man, i've been sick for the past month and am finally feeling better. I am hoping to get back onto a normal writing schedule. I currently have three chapters waiting to be posted but after that I'm out of chapters. There may be a bit of a dry spell of me posting in April and May as I am moving again and may not be able to write or post for a few weeks but I'll do my best to prepare for that time.

Anyways, you all take care and I'll see you next chapter!


	73. An Old Rival

Hey all! I hope you're ready for chapter 73! This is another chapter I've been itching to write and get out. Let's see if our boys are able to get out of this mess with the evil team. Did the regeneration of the fossil succeed with all this commotion! Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name crow-forest. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Chapter 73, I choose you!

An Old Rival

Just as quickly as the sirens had started, they stopped and the halls were filled with light once more. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima looked around in confusion. Was the mess over? Should they go back to the regeneration room?

Just then, they heard someone running down the hall. "Are you two okay?" Professor Mizoguchi gasped upon seeing them. Following him was Kunimi "The halls are filled with evil grunts! You shouldn't have run off like that," he scolded, looking at Tsukishima.

Tsukki gave a small shrug. He wasn't sorry.

"Oh, no!" Yamaguchi gasped in sudden realization, catching both their attention. "We need to help Kindaichi! He was captured by some of the grunts!"

"What direction?" Professor Mizoguchi asked.

"The bathrooms. They had him outside the men's bathrooms," Yamaguchi urgently replied.

"You two head back to the regeneration room," Professor Mizoguchi instructed. "Kunimi, you come with me!"

"Do you guys need help!?" Yamaguchi asked, feeling bad to just go back.

"No, you two go back! We will take care of this," Professor Mizoguchi quickly replied.

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki only to see him shrug.

"I-If you say so," Yamaguchi replied, and the next thing he knew Professor Mizoguchi and Kunimi were already rounding the corner.

"Let them handle it," Tsukishima sighed. He didn't seem bothered by the evil team now that he had Yamaguchi by his side.

The research lab was now wild with noise. As they made their way back to the fossil regeneration room they did their best to stay out of the way while still being vigilant. Many people in white coats rushed around the halls, and before long the two were quickly guided back to the fossil regeneration room by a random anxious researcher.

As they entered the room Professor Irihata greeted them with a smile. "Good to see you two are safe." He didn't seem too bothered by the ruckus. It almost looked like he hadn't even moved from his chair.

"I-It would seem an evil team broke into the research facility," Yamaguchi replied as he scooped a very upset Eevee into his arms. He gave her a reassuring pat on the head as he did so. "I think they're after the meteorite…" he added, taking a seat.

Tsukishima silently sat next to Yamaguchi. He sat stiff and rigid, perhaps a bit on edge from the event.

"I did tell them we needed to up security with that evil team at large," Professor Irihata hummed with a nod. "Now, what was the name of this team again…?"

Yamaguchi gave a bit of a start at the question. It never occurred to him that the team would go by a name but now that he thought about it most teams did have a name. He had run into them so many times by now but still had no clue what they called themselves.

"Do they have a team name?" Tsukishima asked, also looking very interested.

"Yeah, I recall hearing it but I just can't remember," Professor Irihata replied. He looked as if he was struggling to recall the name. "It was something like Team Snake…"

"Snake?" Yamaguchi echoed. That would explain the masks.

"No, that's not it," Professor Irihata grumbled to himself. "I just can't remember right now. I'm sure if you look in the recent news it will have the name listed there."

"Oh, right," Yamaguchi nodded, feeling a bit dumb to have never thought of it himself.

"It doesn't matter what they call themselves. It's not like we are going to see them again," Tsukishima growled from beside Yamaguchi. He looked dead serious about it.

"Well, I'm sure normal trainers like yourselves don't have to worry about this team bothering you too much," Professor Irihata laughed. "They seem to be after the big stuff after all."

"Yeah, right," Yamaguchi replied, forcing himself to laugh along. After every encounter he had with them, he couldn't help but feel like this wasn't completely true.

Before any more could be said on the matter, the door to the room opened and Kunimi strode back in. He was alone and that worried Yamaguchi.

"W-Where's Kindaichi?" Yamaguchi asked before Kunimi could even do anything.

"He's fine. We were able to save him," Kunimi confirmed, not bothering to take a seat. "He was a bit beaten up so he's been taken to the hospital. I was sent here to make sure you two made it back safely."

"We're fine," Tsukishima replied shortly.

Kunimi glanced at Tsukishima for only a moment. "Well, it looks like your tour is over. We have to put the place on lockdown and check over everything. Make sure nothing was taken."

"Oh, that's such a shame," Professor Irihata frowned. "I really wanted to show this lad here a few of our recently regenerated ancient Pokemon," he seemed genuinely sad.

For a moment Tsukishima showed interest in what the old man had said.

"Well it can't be helped," Kunimi frowned.

"Well if that's the case there isn't much we can do," Professor Irihata shrugged. He then turned to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. "You two still have half a tour promised to you so come back any time. There is a lot more around here I'd like to show you."

"If we are ever in the area we will be sure to let you know," Yamaguchi replied, a bit disappointed that the tour was over.

"Fossil enthusiasts are always welcome," Professor Irihata smiled. "But before I forget I should give you the regenerated fossil," he said, digging into his lab coat pocket. He pulled out the dusk ball Tsukishima had given, passing it to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima took the ball from the professor. He looked like he was at a loss of words as he examined it. There was a shine of wonder in his eyes that Yamaguchi hadn't seen in years.

"Did it really work?" Yamaguchi asked.

"Why don't you release it and give it a look?" Professor Irihata grinned. He seemed excited for Tsukishima.

Tsukishima hesitated for a moment. He felt almost scared. To have one of your childhood dreams come true was an overwhelming thing to face. Nonetheless he gave a nod and pushed the button on the ball. The ball grew in his hand to normal size and after clearing his throat Tsukishima said "Come on out."

With that the ball clicked open, releasing the Pokemon inside. In a puff of dark smoke a small Tyrunt appeared in the center of the room. It gave a confused grumble as it looked around.

Tsukishima looked like he was in love. He approached the Dinosaur Pokemon slowly. The Tyrunt didn't seem afraid of him. Tsukishima reached out his hand and slowly the Tyrunt stretched out to sniff it. One, two, three sniffs and the next thing everyone knew the Tyrunt had leapt into Tsukishima's arms.

"Aw, Tsukki, it loves you already," Yamaguchi cooed.

Tsukishima held the Tyrunt in his arms. It took everything in him to keep up his stony facade and not to melt in joy to be holding the baby dino.

"Yeah, he's a pretty friendly fellow," Professor Irihata laughed. "He shouldn't give you too much trouble but do remember that fossil Pokemon can be a bit more feral at times. Call me anytime if you have any questions about raising him."

"Oh, Tsukki, he is so cute," Yamaguchi said as he leaned over Tsukki to get a look at the Tyrunt.

The small Tyrunt gave a happy growl before leaping from Tsukki's arms into Yamaguchi's. Yamaguchi released a joyful sound as he hugged Tyrunt. Tyrunt seemed to enjoy this.

"He's so sweet," Yamaguchi sighed, hugging it tighter.

The Tyrunt then struggled from Yamaguchi's arms to the floor where it then proceeded to harass Kunimi for a hug. Kunimi nudged it away with his leg, not wanting to touch the thing. This didn't settle well with Tsukishima. How dare that asshole kick his precious Tyrunt?

"I should escort you two out of here," Kunimi grumbled, taking a step back from the overly friendly Tyrunt.

"Well, it was great meeting you two," Professor Irihata sighed. "Like I said, give me a call if you have any trouble, and I take it you've done your research on ancient pokemon diet?"

"Of course I have," Tsukishima said, scooping up Tyrunt. He shot Kunimi a glare as he did so.

"And I'd advise only letting him out of his ball if you're going to keep an eye on him until he has matured a bit," Professor Irihata. "He seems happy now, but it's hard at first for regenerated pokemon to accumulate."

"We'll make sure to take good care of him," Yamaguchi replied as he gave Tyrunt's chin an affectionate scratch.

Tyrunt seemed to enjoy this as he gave a small purr.

With that the two bid their final goodbye to Professor Irihata. With Eevee in Yamaguchi's arms and Tyrunt back in his ball the two trainers followed Kunimi out of the research facility. The place was still a mess and as they exited the building it looked as if even the main public museum had been cleared out. Once at the exit, Kunimi barely bid the two farewell. Yamaguchi felt a bit awkward about it but Tsukki didn't seem to care.

Yamaguchi felt horrible for their tour to have ended so early. He couldn't help feel like it was somehow his fault this happened. He knew the team wasn't after him but why did they always run into each other. Was it really coincidence?

"Shall we head to the aquarium or do you want to take a rest?" Tsukishima asked. "We are a bit early."

"I-I'm fine to go to the aquarium," Yamaguchi sighed. They had made plans in the late afternoon to meet up with the others at the aquarium. If he was being honest he was exhausted but he really wanted the others to see Tyrunt. "I'll message Sugawara now and let him know we are heading over."

"If you say so," Tsukishima skeptically replied. He could tell Yamaguchi was tired. "Don't push yourself."

"And you don't push yourself, Tsukki," Yamaguchi playfully replied as he bumped shoulders with his boyfriend.

Tsukishima blushed but did well to keep his normal expression otherwise.

Yamaguchi quickly sent a text to Sugawara letting him know they'd arrive early. The walk to the Aquarium was slow. Yamaguchi felt bad about the tour being cut short. He and Tsukki hadn't even seen the normal part of the fossil museum. Somehow, he just felt like it was his fault.

"I know you're overthinking again," Tsukishima grumbled, side-eyeing Yamaguchi as they walked.

Yamaguchi gave a small start. He couldn't hide anything from Tsukki even if he tried. "I-Its nothing," he replied, knowing it'd get rejected.

And Yamaguchi was correct in thinking that. "You know there is no use in lying to me," Tsukisima called him out, his tone harsh but the way he took Yamaguchi's hand was soft and comforting.

Yamaguchi gave Tsukki's hand a squeeze before casing his gaze down. Just vocalizing the guilt made him feel stupid.

"I know you're upset but none of the stuff at the fossil research center was your fault," Tsukishima guessed correctly. Of course he did.

"This just keeps happening, Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed, looking at Tsukki with worry in his eyes. It's like he and this evil team were on the same path or something.

"I know it seems like you've run into this evil team way too many times but if you think about it logically, we only ever encounter them when Iwaizumi is involved," Tsukishima replied. He seemed angry for some reason but Yamaguchi could tell that the anger was not targeted at himself.

"Yeah, I know," Yamaguchi nodded, though his eyes held uncertainty and worry.

"As long as we steer clear of Iwaizumi and his stupid research we should be fine," Tsukishima said with a final nod and he meant it. The next time he and Yamaguchi ran into Iwaizumi or his research, they'd just go somewhere else. "It's his fault after all. Whatever he's doing this team wants, and he needs to stop involving other people."

Yamaguchi couldn't help but crack a smile at how frustrated Tsukki was over Iwaizumi. It was honestly sweet and amusing. "And if we steer clear of Iwaizumi we'll probably steer clear of Oikawa."

"Oh man, that guy is so annoying," Tsukishima groaned. While Iwaizumi was a nice guy, Oikawa was one of Tsukishima's least favorite types of people.

Yamaguchi released a giggle. Feeling a bit better he stepped closer to Tsukki as they walked. He tightened his hold on Tsukki's hand as his nerves let up. "Thanks, Tsukki," He gently said.

"You always overthink," Tsukishima replied.

"Yeah, I am," Yamaguchi agreed. "That's why I have you."

Tsukishima felt his heart do a crazy flip as Yamaguchi planted a kiss on his cheek. It was so soft and so gentle, but it burned him up inside. It took everything in him not to break his composure. When he glanced to the side he saw an amused smirk on Yamaguchi's lips. Did this boy know just how much power he had over his heart?

The rest of the walk was a bit more comfortable. The two held hands as they strode up the stairs to the aquarium. They got their tickets and once inside, Yamaguchi released Tsukki's hand when he saw a take with several fish in it. He rushed forward to hold Eevee up so she could see.

Eevee gave a happy trill. "Aren't they pretty?" Yamaguchi replied as if to agree with her trill.

As Tsukishima watched his sweet boyfriend he couldn't help but smile at how cute Yamaguchi could be. With a light swagger to his step but came up beside his boyfriend to enjoy the view of the Lumineon, Finneon, and Luvdisc. While Tsukishima really wasn't into that type of thing he always found anything pretty enjoyable if he was to do it with Yamaguchi.

The two trainers milled around the entry of the aquarium until their friends arrived. If they wandered too far into the building it would make it even harder for them to meet up. Tsukki didn't seem to care much if they met up but Yamaguchi didn't want to be rude.

It wasn't long before Yamaguchi got a text from Sugawara announcing they were nearby, and before he could send a reply he heard said trainer calling their names.

"Tsukishima! Yamaguchi!" Sugawara called, sounding like a mother trying to get the attention of her children.

Tsukishima frowned and Yamaguchi blushed as they both turned around. From behind them, they saw Bokuto and Kuroo rushing towards them with Sugawara and Akaashi not far behind.

"Are you two okay? Did you get hurt?" Sugawara cried as he pushed past Bokuto and Kuroo, almost knocking them to the floor. When he got to them he grabbed Yamaguchi by the shoulders as he examined him closely.

"We heard something went down at the fossil research lab," Kuroo said as he came up beside Sugawara. He sent Tsukishima a concerned look only to receive a glare from Tsukishima.

"Y-Yeah, we're fine," Yamaguchi stuttered as he motioned to Sugawara that he was fine.

Sugawara couldn't help but fuss like a mother would but backed off. He didn't even try to look over Tsukishima.

"What exactly happened?" Bokuto asked, looking more excited than concerned.

"I-It was that evil team," Yamaguchi mumbled in reply, feeling a bit embarrassed to have run into them again.

"What? Them again!?" Sugawara snapped, looking as if he was ready to fight here and now. "Did they hurt you?"

"Arceus, we're fine," Tsukishima replied in exasperation. "They were after something in the lab so we didn't really run into much trouble ourselves," he half lied.

"Those guys really seem to be all over the place now," Akaashi hummed. "What could they be up to?"

A long silence passed between the group as they all considered the question. No one had an idea of what they could possibly be up to.

"It doesn't really matter because it doesn't really concern us!" Tsukishima stubbornly declared. He knew this conversation would only make Yamaguchi worry.

"Yeah, and if they bug me or any of you guys I'll just beat them into the ground!" Bokuto cheered, sounding almost like he'd enjoy a run-in with them.

Yamaguchi did his best to laugh at Bokuto's enthusiasm but he found it hard to laugh after having run into this team so many times. It really made him paranoid and he'd like to get it in his head that he had nothing to do with the team.

Perhaps it was because the topic made Yamaguchi nervous or perhaps it was because Tsukishima looked annoyed to be talking about the evil team, Sugawara suddenly changed gears. "I hear this aquarium has an amazing Vaporeon show on the top floor. Maybe we can catch the next one."

"Oh right, and I'd love the see the Sharpedo tank!" Bokuto said with the excitement of a kid.

"Well, if we stand around here for too long we might not have enough time to see everything we want," Akaashi pointed out calmly.

Yamaguchi was relieved that their focus was now on something else. He could tell that Tsukki also looked ready to move on to the aquarium and leave the excitement of today behind. The two quietly took hands as they followed after Bokuto and Kuroo.

The group found the aquarium to be quite enjoyable. The shows available on the top floor seemed almost magical and definitely gave Yamaguchi some ideas for his next showcase with Brionne. They visited several tanks filled with various types of Pokemon from all over the world. The Corsola tank reminded Yamaguchi so much of home. Tsukishima seemed quite partial to a tank that held a few Tirtouga that had been donated by the fossil research center years ago.

The group traversed across the large aquarium for over 2 hours before they agreed to stop for a bit to rest. They had come across the largest tank of the whole aquarium. It reached three stories high and held so many water Pokemon in it that Yamaguchi lost count. There were benches placed a bit away from the glass so that guests could sit and take a rest while enjoying the view of the water Pokemon.

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima sat together on one of these benches. Yamaguchi rested his head on Tsukki's shoulder as he watched a school of Wishiwashi swim nervously from one end of the tank to the other end of the tank. Watching the fish relaxed him, allowing him to release some of the tension he had been holding in his shoulders. Tsukishima also slumped where he sat, allowing Yamaguchi to use him as a pillow. He watched the fish swimming around the large tank but didn't really focus hard on any one fish.

Bokuto and Kuroo sat on the bench closest to Tsukki and Yamaguchi's bench that was only about an arm's length away. They were laughing about something on Bokuto's phone. Yamaguchi was far too zoned out to really pick up on what they were saying and Tsukki simply didn't want to get involved. Akaashi and Sugawara had gone off to the restrooms but had left their items with the two loud trainers.

It was when Kuroo and Bokuto's laughter came to an abrupt stop that Yamaguchi lifted his head from Tsukki's shoulder. Rubbing his eyes a bit Yamaguchi looked to his side to see what had caused the two to become so quiet. He saw Kuroo looking at someone across the room and when Yamaguchi followed his gaze he expected to see Sugawara or Akaashi returning but what he saw was someone else.

A tall man with dark hair neatly styled to the left approached them. His face was quite thin and he had slitted eyes that were reminiscent of a snake. He had a smile on his face and for a second he licked his lips only making him look more like a snake. "Well, if it isn't Kuroo!" The man greeted him in a hiss when he was upon them.

Yamaguchi felt his heart do a strange twist as something heavy settled in his stomach. This man and his voice. He couldn't help but feel like he'd seen this trainer before somewhere and for some reason it terrified him.

"Daisho, is that you?" Kuroo laughed, standing up to greet the trainer.

"It's good to know you haven't forgotten about me," Daisho replied, his smile more calculating then friendly.

"How could I ever forget about you," Kuroo replied, sounding almost sarcastic.

An odd tension passed between the two trainers as they shook hands. It looks almost as if they were going to arm wrestle for a moment. All the while, Yamaguchi's eyes were glued to Daisho. He couldn't help but feel like if he looked away from the man for even a second he'd be dead.

Yamaguchi's strange behaviour didn't go unnoticed by Tsukishima. His calculating amber eyes looked from his stiff scared boyfriend to this stranger in front of them. Yamaguchi was normally such a friendly guy. Why was he acting so freaked out?

"Who's this?" Bokuto asked, popping up from his seat.

"Yeah, Kuroo, introduce me to your friends," Daisho hissed.

"Oh, how rude of me," Kuroo replied through a strained smile. "This here is Daisho Suguru, my old rival from back in the day."

"You were a rival of Kuroo's?" Bokuto practically barked. "He's never mentioned you."

Kuroo looked like he wanted to hit Bokuto at that very moment.

"Is that so, Kuroo?" Daisho replied, pretending to be upset when he obviously wasn't.

"Been busy, you know, with league and such," Kuroo replied quickly. "I guess since you were absent from the league I never thought to bring you up in conversation."

"Oh the league," Daisho hummed, with a mix of reminiscence frustration. "Those sure were fun times."

"Yeah, you were never able to beat me in an official battle," Kuroo smiled.

"Thanks for reminding me, Kuroo," Daisho said through a strained smile of his own.

Throughout the whole conversation Yamguchi's eyes stayed fixed on Daisho. He couldn't help but notice Daisho glancing at him every now and then as if he too knew Yamaguchi. This man's face and his voice felt so familiar, but Yamaguchi had never met a single person named Daisho before.

"And who are these two sitting next to you?" Daisho asked, this time putting his full attention on Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

"Oh, this here is my protege Tsukki," Kuroo introduced, looking proud.

"I am not your protege," Tsukishima snapped.

"It's nice to meet you, Tsukki," Daisho said, sounding a bit fake.

"My name is Tsukishima," Tsukishima corrected.

"Pardon me, Tsukishima," Daisho echoed, sounding like he really didn't care. His thin eyes then landed on Yamaguchi. "And you're Yamagucih Tadashi, right?" his smile became almost sinister as he asked this.

Yamaguchi gave a small yelp upon hearing his own name coming out of this man's mouth. He jumped behind Tsukki a bit like a scared mouse causing Tsukki to start. How did Daisho know his name? It horrified him to think that this man knew who he was.

Everyone around looked surprised by Yamaguchi's reaction. Tsukishima leaned forward a bit to get a look at his boyfriend. Kuroo and Bokuto both looked confused. Even Daisho backed off a bit upon seeing Yamaguchi's scared reaction but his smile stayed. He almost looked happy at how scared Yamaguchi was.

It took Yamaguchi a moment to realize what he was doing. It was almost on instinct that he had jumped behind Tsukki. His limbs shook as he tried to collect himself. He readjusted himself to sit upright on the bench but couldn't control the shaking in his hands. He felt the desperate need to run away from Daisho and get as far as he could.

"Geez, for someone who is a showcase contestant you sure are shy," Daisho joked, backing off from Yamaguchi. "Congratulations on the win, Yamaguchi. I saw your performance on TV yesterday."

Yamaguchi's body went cold after hearing that Daisho had seen him on TV. Just the thought of that scared him but it explained why he knew Yamaguchi's name.

"Th-Thank you," Yamaguchi quietly replied, his voice small and shaking.

Yamaguchi's friends all shot him very concerned looks. Kuroo looked like he wanted to give Yamaguchi a hug, Bokuto looked utterly confused, and Tsukishima looked completely lost as to why Yamaguchi was so shaken.

"Well, now, it was good seeing you again, Kuroo," Daisho hummed, turning his attention away from Yamaguchi. "But I must be on my way. I'm a very busy man."

"Right, well I wouldn't want to keep you from your busy schedule," Kuroo replied sounding a bit sarcastic.

"It was nice meeting all of you, Bokuto, Tsukishima," Daisho said looking at the two respectively. His eyes then locked onto Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi gave a small start but stopped himself from jumping behind Tsukki. "See you around, Yamaguchi," he hissed, his sinister smile back. His eyes lingered on Yamaguchi and Yamaguchi shook under his gase. The next thing anyone knew Daisho turned on his heel and headed out of the room without another word.

"Jeese, that guy is a creep," Kuroo sighed once Daisho was out of sigh.

Yamaguchi still shook like a leaf from beside Tsukki. This didn't go unnoticed by anyone.

"You okay?" Bokuto asked, sounding genuinely concerned. "Do you always get this jumpy around new people."

"I-I'm f-fine," Yamaguchi replied, his voice still shaky. He didn't know what else to say. He had never met Daisho before so he had no logical reason to be reacting like he was.

It was only when Tsukki took his hand in his own that Yamaguchi's shaking subsided. "It's all right," Tsukishima's low voice reassured him.

"S-Sorry," Yamaguchi apologised for his strange behavior.

"Hey, no need to be sorry," Kuroo replied with a smile. "I don't blame you for getting spooked. Daisho is a creep."

Yamaguchi gave a small nod. He still felt fear and adrenaline in his arms and legs despite him not showing it anymore. Who was this Daisho? Why did Yamaguchi feel like he knew this man? He could swear he'd seen him somewhere before. His voice sounded so familiar but from where? Yamaguchi also couldn't help but feel like Daisho knew him, that Daisho recognized Yamaguchi from more than just TV. That feeling settled heavily in Yamaguchi's heart as he leaned upon Tsukki's shoulder in an attempt to ground himself back in reality.

Author Note:

Oh my! Who did the gang just meet? Who is this Daisho? Is he someone Yamaguchi knows? Why is our poor Yamaguchi so scared? It's okay, Yamaguchi, Tsukki will protect you!

I hope everyone is taking care. I am getting very close to my moving date so updates for the next few months might be a bit late. By late spring to early summer I should be back to a normal upload schedule. Sorry for the inconvenience.

I want to thank you all so much for the kudos, follows, bookmarks, comments and reviews. I love to hear from you all so please leave a comment or review down below.

Well, that's all for now. See you all next chapter!


	74. Aquarium Madness

Hey all! Here is chapter 74! I can't believe how long this fic is. I sometimes just sit here and think 'what am I even doing with my life' but honestly this is a great way to save money. At least that's how I see it. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name crow-forest. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested.

Chapter 74, I choose you!

Aquarium Madness

Yamaguchi found himself glued to the bench, still a bit shaken after what had just happened. Why had he reacted the way he had? He didn't even know this Daisho guy, yet he felt such fear just by looking at him. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel like he'd seen those eyes and heard that voice from somewhere, but where? Was it all in his head?

"You going to be okay?" Tsukishima quietly asked, giving Yamaguchi's shoulder a soft nudge.

Yamaguchi gave a quiet nod, still a bit too scared to use his voice in fear he'd stutter. He felt low key embarrassed for how shaken he was. He was the only one so spooked over Daisho. He must have looked crazy to the others.

Before any more could be said Sugawara and Akaashi approached the group. Almost immediately Sugawara sensed something was off. His eye's shot from the shaken Yamaguchi to the confused Bokuto and Kuroo.

"Who upset him?" Sugawara accused, looking at the two older trainers.

"I kept telling you to calm down, Bokuto," Akaashi sighed.

"It wasn't me!" Bokuto replied, sounding quite insulted.

"I-I'm fine!" Yamaguchi cut in, not wanting to cause any more trouble. "Just had a bit of déjà vu or something," he insisted, doing his best to collect himself.

No one looked convinced, especially Tsukki, but Yamaguchi wasn't about to let anything ruin the rest of their final day together. This was the last time they'd be together for who knows how long and he wasn't going to let some stranger ruin that.

"Hey, do we still have time to catch the Gyarados feeding?" Yamaguchi asked, finally feeling like he gained a little control over his emotions. "Didn't you want to see that, Bokuto?"

Everyone looked a bit shocked by the question and unsure if ignoring Yamaguchi's reaction was the right thing to do.

"Y-Yeah, I did want to catch that," Bokuto replied after a moment of silence.

"Then we should hurry before it's too late," Yamaguchi said standing from the bench. "I want to see it, too!" Yamaguchi smiled as if to say he was fine and ready to move on.

Everyone exchanged one last glance at each other.

"Well, It's on the other side of the aquarium so let's go," Sugawara smiled, deciding that perhaps a distraction was what Yamaguchi needed.

"If we get their early we can get front row seats," Kuroo pointed out with a sly smile.

"I refuse to sit close to the tank," Tsukishima vetoed. "I don't want to get wet."

"Ah, come on, that's not going to happen," Bokuto brushed off.

"Besides, it doesn't matter where you sit in the crowd," Kuroo shrugged. "When those Gyarados get excited there is no safe zone from the wet."

"Wonderful," Tsukisihma deadpanned.

"Don't worry Tsukki, if a wave comes I'll shield you from the water," Yamaguchi giggled, acting out what he'd do.

"My hero," Tsukishima deadpanned once more.

Laughter passed between the group as they made their way to the Gyarados tank. Daisho lingered in the back of Yamaguchi's mind as they walked but with each step his worries pushed further and further into the back of his mind. This day was not going to be ruined any more than it had been.

The Gyarados feeding was amazing. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel like he'd never be able to raise a Pokemon as intense as a Gyarados. Despite doing their best to stay dry, they did end up getting a little wet. Tsukishima was less than impressed and Yamaguchi had to admit walking around the aquarium in wet clothes was less than enjoyable. By the time they made it to the next exhibit he was visibly shivering.

"Take my jacket," Tsukishima demanded, shoving it over Yamaguchi's shaking shoulders.

"But you're wet too, Tsukki," Yamaguchi replied, trying to hand the jacket back to Tsukki.

"I'm not as wet as you are," Tsukishima argues, refusing to take his jacket back.

It was true, Tsukki did get away with the least amount of water on his clothes. While Bokuto had been drenched from head to toe, Yamaguchi had come out the second most wet. He was often unlucky like that.

"Just put it on before you catch a cold," Tsukishima grumbled, wrapping the jacket back around Yamaguchi's shoulders.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile at how sweet Tsukki was to him. "Thanks, Tsukki. But if you get cold you have to say something."

"Yeah, yeah," Tsukishima replied, satisfied to see the shaking in Yamaguchi's shoulders subside.

"Do you have a jacket for me too, Tsukki?" Kuroo asked in an overly whiny voice. "I'm also cold."

"Get your own jacket," Tsukishima sharply replied.

"Tsukki is always so mean to me even after all my help," Kuroo sighed dramatically.

Tsukishima pouted, knowing Kuroo just wanted a reaction out of him. This only caused Kuroo to snicker.

The group made their way to a darker exhibit that displayed the bioluminescence of some Pokemon. The whole exhibit was almost magical, with how dark the room was and how the Pokemon would just glow. Tsukki had been dragged to a rather large tank by Kuroo and Bokuto, leaving Yamaguchi alone to enjoy a tank full of Chinchou.

The small Chinchou swam around the tank, the orbs at the end of their antenna glowing as they aimlessly floated around. Yamaguchi was so entranced by the sight that he didn't take notice when someone joined him at the tank.

"You feeling better, Yamaguchi?"

Yamaguchi released a small 'eep' sound as he gave a little jump. It only took him a moment to realize it was just Sugawara. "Don't sneak up on me like that. You scared me," Yamaguchi gasped, his hand to his heart.

"Haha, sorry. I guess you're still feeling jumpy," Sugawara chuckled, though he was sorry for having spooked Yamaguchi.

"I'm fine now," Yamaguchi insisted with a small pout, turning back to the tank of Chinchou.

"Right," Sugawara said, not looking completely convinced but he hadn't come here to argue the topic with Yamaguchi. "I'm really proud of you, you know."

"W-what- for what?" Yamaguchi stammered, surprised by the statement.

"You have grown a lot as a showcase contestant in the past week and a half," Sugawara pointed out. "You should be proud, too. I know I am."

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink. Getting such a compliment from someone as accomplished as Sugawara was just too much for his heart. "I… Th-thank you," was all he could get out.

"I'm so sad we're parting tomorrow," Sugawara sighed, a bit of longing settled in his eyes. "I'm going to miss having you around, Yamaguchi. Never a dull moment for you. It's kind of exciting."

Yamaguchi shot Sugawara a suspicious look. Was he referring to his run-in with the evil team? Maybe something like that would be seen as fun for a strong trainer like Sugawara.

"Thank you for all the help, Sugawara," Yamaguchi replied with a genuine smile. "I couldn't have won like I have without your mentorship and support."

"It was my pleasure, Yamaguchi," Sugawara nodded, smiling with joy. "I really do enjoy watching people grow. I know you're going to make it to Master Class in no time."

"I still have three keys to go, but I don't plan on giving up!" Yamaguchi declared, determination glowing in his eyes. He was ready to go to the top.

"I'll be waiting for you there," Sugawara smiled.

A warm moment of silence hung between the two. For the first time Yamaguchi wondered if he could go up against someone as strong and experienced as Sugawara. He really couldn't wait until that day. He'd be sure to show Sugawara all that he had to offer.

"I had one more thing I wanted to talk with you about, Yamaguchi," Sugawara sighed, he looked a bit more serious.

"Yeah, what is it?" Yamaguchi asked. He wondered if it had something to do with his run ins with the evil team.

"It's that other Pokemon of yours," Sugawara said, looking dead serious as he spoke to Yamaguchi. "The one you only ever let out to feed."

"Oh…" Yamaguchi replied, all of a sudden feeling cold again despite wearing Tsukki's jacket. "My Jangmo-o..."

"It doesn't listen to you, does it?" Sugawara guessed correctly, looking a bit more understanding.

Yamaguchi lowered his head as he gave a quiet nod. He suddenly couldn't bring himself to look Sugawara in the eyes.

Sugawara released a gentle hum followed by a moment of silence. "It's not uncommon for stronger Pokemon to disobey trainers, but if you keep them in their ball they won't ever learn to trust you."

Yamaguchi felt horrible. Every time he thought of Jangmo-o he felt this way. He knew keeping her in that ball wasn't the right thing to do.

"I wanted to leave her back in Alola. She likes being with my Mom and Grandma but she's never liked being with me," Yamaguchi explained, doing all he could to keep his voice steady. "But my grandma said I caught her so she was mine. I'm the one who has to train her."

Sugawara smiled softly as he lifted Yamaguchi's chin a bit so their eyes could meet. "Your grandma probably knows that Jangmo-o is waiting for you to step up and prove to her that you're worthy."

Yamaguchi felt like he was going to cry. He felt bad for how he'd been treating her this whole time. She must be so lonely.

"Take her out, spend time with her, train with her and I know your Jangmo-o will see just how wonderful of a trainer you really are," Sugawara softly said, releasing Yamaguchi's chin as he did so. "You have the biggest heart of any trainer I've ever met."

"I-I'll do my best," Yamaguchi sniffed, his emotions getting the best of him.

"It's your homework, Yamaguchi," Sugawara said with a cheeky wink. "Next time I see you that Jangmo-o better be the best of friends with you. Even better than your bond with Eevee."

Eevee gave a very undignified squeak from Yamaguchi's arms. No one would ever love Yamaguchi as much as she did.

"I know you can do it!" Sugawara declared.

"I won't let you down and I won't let Jangmo-o down," Yamaguchi replied, fighting back his tears and putting on a serious face.

"That's what I like to hear," Sugawara praised with a large smile. "Definitely my top protégé."

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink once more. He really wasn't worthy of the support he had but he was damn grateful for it. He wasn't the sniveling trainer he used to be. He wasn't going to run away from the things that scared him anymore. He promised then and there he'd make up to Jangmo-o what he'd done to her. He just hoped she could forgive him.

"Hey, what's going on over here!?" Kuroo barked, pushing in between Yamaguchi and Sugawara "Are you two having a bonding session without me?!" he gasped, sounding insulted.

"Sorry, Kuroo. Bonding session is over," Sugawara teased, causing Yamaguchi to stifle a giggle.

"Hey, I haven't had time to bond with Yamaguchi yet," Kuroo whined, grabbing Yamaguchi around the shoulder. "You and Tsukki keep hogging him."

"We still have time if you want to bond," Yamaguchi laughed, giving a small shrug.

"Hey, hands off my boyfriend," Tsukishima snapped, grabbing Yamaguchi from Kuroo's grasp.

"Just because you're dating doesn't mean he belongs to you," Kuroo teased, sticking his tongue out at Tsukishima.

"I never said he belonged to me," Tsukishima snapped. "I just don't need you or that bozo over there harassing him."

"Kuroo wasn't harassing me," Yamaguchi insisted, releasing a light giggle as he did so.

Tsukishima shot Kuroo an untrusting look but dropped it upon Yamaguchi's insistence. Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile. He was excited for it to be just him and Tsukki again but he had to admit that he'd miss having the others around. There was always something exciting when it came to Kuroo and Bokuto.

The group of six wandered the aquarium a bit longer and before long the music indicating the aquariums closer sounded. The announcement was disappointing. Yamaguchi was really starting to enjoy himself. From the looks of it, the others also seemed reluctant for the fun to end.

"How about we order some take out and eat at the beach like last night," Sugawara suggested upon seeing everyone's reluctance to leave. "That way you two can still be loud without worrying about bothering anyone," he added with a cheeky wink, looking to Kuroo and Bokuto

"Hey, we aren't that loud," Bokuto whined.

"Yes you are," Tsukishima flatly replied, causing Yamaguchi to snicker.

"Bokuto, my dude," Kuroo sighed, looping his arm around his shoulder. "You know I love you, but you got a big mouth."

"It's not that much bigger than yours!?" Bokuto grumbled, not making any effort to pull away from Kuroo.

"You both have big mouths," Tsukisima sighed.

"I have an idea!" Bokuto practically shouted, causing several people in the vicinity to jump. "We'll have a big mouth contest. Whoever can stuff the most marshmallows in their mouth is the winner."

"I know I can shove more in my mouth then you," Kuroo replied with a sly smile.

"I thought the point was to not have a big mouth," Tsukishima grumbled. He couldn't believe these two.

"I'm going to prove I have the biggest mouth of anyone here!" Bokuto declared. "So everyone has to compete."

"Well, I don't know about that…" Sugawara tried to decline.

"I won't take no for an answer," Bokuto barked.

"You tell 'em!" Kuroo cheered. This seemed to fire up Bokuto more.

"Maybe we should just go back to the hotel," Tsukishima sighed, not wanting to be a part of this.

"But I thought you liked sweets, Tsukki!" Kuroo accused, his tone purposefully annoying.

"Unless the only sweets you eat are Yamaguchi's sweets," Sugawara laughed, unable to help himself on getting in on the fun.

Yamaguchi's cheeks went pink as Tsukishima released a short huff. Tsukki didn't deny it.

"Ohya? I think you hit the nail on the head, Suga," Kuroo chuckled, unable to hide his annoying grin.

"I bet that makes you feel super special, huh, Yamaguchi?" Sugawara winked.

"Wh-What, I, Ah," Yamaguchi stammered under the pressure. "T-Tsukki like all sweets. N-Not j-just mine," he squeaked. "R-Right Tsukki!?"

Without replying, Tsukishima averted his gaze. With the glare on his glasses, it was impossible to see his eyes but his red cheeks gave him away.

"Didn't know Tsukki could be so shy," Bokuto laughed, getting bravely close to Tsukki.

"S-Stop picking on T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi defended with red cheeks of his own. The moment the words left his mouth he realized how silly he must have looked.

Tsukishima looked like he was about to explode from embarrassment. Sugawara couldn't hide his smile, but looked to Yamaguchi with a bit of pity in his eyes. Kuroo and Bokuto failed to hold back their snickers. Even Akaashi cracked a bit of a smile. Yamaguchi wished the earth would just swallow him right there.

It was only when the group got a stern look from an aquarium employee that anyone said anything.

"Maybe we should head out before we overstay our welcome," Sugawara laughed, sending the worker an apologetic bow. As the group exited the aquarium it looked like they were the last to leave.

The sun was just beginning its descent, meaning they still had a few hours of daylight before it sets completely. They picked up some to go food from a small market and headed to the beach. Despite Tsukishima's disapproval, Kuroo and Bokuto made sure to buy a few large bags of marshmallows as well. They didn't have plans to stay out too late but they all still wanted to spend just a bit more time together.

Dinner was pleasant and Yamaguchi spent a fair amount of time after eating building a large sandcastle with Kuroo, Bokuto and Sugawara. The laughter and fun he felt beside his friends helped bury the insanity of the day. Tsukishima and Akaashi watched contentedly from their picnic blanket, both refusing to join in on the sandy fun, arguing that they needed judges to score their sand art.

It was when the sun fully set that the group headed back to their hotel rooms. They made plans to meet once more in the morning to eat breakfast together before parting ways. Yamaguchi was sad to part with them. He was going to miss how lively things were with so many other people around. It was wonderful to be back by Tsukki's side, but that didn't mean he'd miss his new friends.

Yamaguchi was the first to shower. It didn't take him much time and he was a bit excited to cuddle with Tsukki now that they were alone. He made sure to wash off properly but didn't doddle.

It seemed like Tsukki may have been on the same track mind for it only felt like Yamaguchi had to wait a few minutes alone in bed before Tsukki emerged from the restroom. Yamaguchi couldn't help but send Tsukki a sweet smile as the taller trainer strode out of the bathroom. He wanted to invite Tsukki to cuddle with him but couldn't find the words. Saying it out loud was just too embarrassing.

"We should make sure we are packed up tonight because I know you're going to want to sleep in tomorrow," Tsukishima mumbled as he rummaged through his backpack.

"I-I'm mostly packed," Yamaguchi replied. It was true, he only had a few things left to throw into his back tomorrow morning.

"We don't want to be late tomorrow morning for checkout or we'll get charged extra," Tsukishima carried on, seemingly unaware of how badly Yamaguchi wanted to snuggle.

"I promise to get up in time," Yamaguchi pouted, following Tsukki with his eyes. Did Tsukki always run around like this before bed or was he just teasing him?

It was Tsukki's chuckle that caught Yamagucih's attention. "Like what you see?" he asked with one of his antagonistic smirk.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go bright red. He flopped down in his bed and pulled the covers over his head. "I'm going to bed!" he declared, his voice muffled by the blanket.

Yamaguchi heard a soft chuckle escape Tsukki's lips. The lights in the room went off and he heard the sound of Tsukki walking to his bed.

"I guess you don't want to sleep together tonight?" Tsukki asked from beside Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi could hear the taunting in his voice. "I guess I'll just take this bed over here."

Yamaguchi felt a bit of panic as he threw his covers off. In the dark he reached out to where he expected Tsukki to be and grabbed a handful of his nightshirt. "Wait!" He called out, only to realize Tsukki wasn't actually going to the other bed.

"What is it, Yamaguchi? Change your mind?" Tsukishima hummed. Yamaguchi couldn't see his smile in the dark but he knew it was there.

"Stop teasing me and get in bed," Yamaguchi demanded, giving Tsukki's shirt a tug.

"When did you become so demanding?" Tsukishima replied as he slipped under the covers beside Yamaguchi.

"When did you become so flirty?" Yamaguchi shot back, wishing he could see the expression on Tsukki's face.

Yamaguchi heard Tsukki's release another chuckle and felt a hand cup his cheek. "I guess I don't mind a demanding Yamaguchi," he whispered before pressing their lips together.

Yamaguchi was caught off guard for only a moment and in a matter of seconds he melted into the gentle kiss. He thanked Arceus that he and Tsukki could freely kiss like this now. When the two parted, Yamaguchi snuggled close to Tsukki, nestling his head under his chin. Eevee made herself comfortable right above their heads. Everything felt as if it was in place.

"Today was just so crazy," Yamaguchi sighed. The tension he felt from the day melted away as Tsukki's strong arms wound around him.

"If this is all too much for you, we can always go back to Alola," Tsukishima teased, holding Yamaguchi tighter as he said this.

"No way!" Yamaguchi replied, his voice muffled against Tsukki's collarbone. "I'm not ready to give up."

Yamaguchi felt a gravelly laugh rumble in Tsukki's throat. "I didn't expect you to agree."

A moment of calm quiet hung in the room as the two enjoyed holding one another. They really did feel like matching puzzle pieces. Being like this felt absolutely right.

"I'm excited to see you battle Korrina," Yamaguchi sighed in bliss. He really was so excited to see how Tsukki had grown at his camp. He had barely seen him battle up until this point.

"I'm not going to lose this time," Tsukishima grumbled, though he sounded just as relaxed as Yamaguchi felt.

"If you show me the best battle ever then maybe I'll reward you," Yamagucih coaxed, though he didn't currently have a reward in mind at the moment.

"A reward?" Tsukishima hummed, sneaking a hand under Yamaguchi's shirt. His cold hands caressed Yamaguchi's warm soft back.

"T-T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi squeaked in surprise. In his shock, he wound himself tighter around Tsukki. "Your hand is cold!"

Tsukishima only hummed in reply, not making any move to remove his hand from out of Yamaguchi's shirt. "With how warm you are I'm sure it will warm up soon."

"Hey, I'm not a hot water bottle," Yamaguchi pouted, pushing away from Tsukki a bit to prove his point.

"Do you really want me to freeze tonight? How rude," Tsukishima asked, pulling Yamaguchi back towards him. He always got enjoyment out of teasing others but he always made sure to be soft when it came to teasing Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi didn't resist. It didn't even occur to him that Tsukki could be just as needy as he was. He should have known. Perhaps Tsukki was acting so clingy due to the lights being off and no one able to see his face. It was a side of Tsukki that Yamaguchi never really got to see and he felt quite special to see it.

"Well, just warn me next time when your hands are cold," Yamagucih replied back, collapsing back against Tsukki.

"If I remember," Tsukishima hummed, his hand's reclaiming their place under Yamaguchi's shirt.

"You better remember," Yamaguchi pouted.

The two couldn't hold it in. They both erupted into soft chuckles at how silly they were being. If anyone found out about this they'd both die of embarrassment. The two held each other close, both so blissfully happy.

"I love you, Tsukki," Yamaguchi hummed as he relaxed in Tsukki's hold.

"Love you, too," Tsukishima replied, his voice soft and perhaps a bit shy.

The day's event overtook the two as their bodies relaxed. It wasn't long before Yamaguchi had fallen into a deep sleep. Tsukishima gently ran his hand up and down Yamgauchi's back as he too drifted off to sleep. It had been a crazy day for both trainers, but when they held each other close it felt like they could take on anything.

Author Notes:

'Where am I? What's going on? That voice! I thought I'd heard it somewhere before!? Don't worry! I'll save you!' See you all in next week's chapter 'Parting Ways'.

I decided I'd try my hand at a little hint for the next chapter just like you might get at the end of a Pokemon episode. What do you think? I'll probably come back to read this again in a few months and feel like an idiot lol.

As always, thank you all so much for the kudos, bookmarks, follows, comments and reviews. I love hearing from my readers so please do leave a comment down below.

Also, let me know if you play any pokemon games. I've been playing Pokemon Masters on my smartphone and I wish I could battle alongside our Haikyu! Boys lol. I also downloaded the demo for Pokemon Mystery dungeon and named the two pokemon after Yama and Tsukki. I hope to get the game in full 3 I can't get enough of these two franchises. Pokemon Trainer Yama and Tsukki are just the best 3

Anyways, see you all next chapter.


	75. Parting Ways Again

Hey all! I hope you're ready for chapter 75. There is going to be drama and I know we all love drama. What new things will be revealed to us now. Let's find out!

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name crow-forest. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested

Chapter 75, I choose you!

Parting Ways Again

It was very odd. When Yamaguchi woke up he didn't feel alone. He cracked open an eye and scanned the room. It was the same laboratory as before with the glowing screens and the strange machine in the corner. The only thought that crossed his mind was 'I'm still here.' But this thought wasn't really his own and he somehow knew that. He was alone in the cage, but not alone at the same time. Someone else was there with him and he just couldn't see them.

He sat up, scanning the room a bit more. It was definitely empty and the door to the room sat ajar with the hall pitch black. He was still scared, but not as scared as when he first came here. He had become a bit numb to the situation. This numb feeling worried him.

"Are you okay?" Yamaguchi asked, not really sure who he was talking to.

 _Oh, it's you? I finally reached you again._

"What's going on?"

 _I need help. Can you get me out of here?_

"I can try. Where are we?"

 _I'm not sure. They brought me here but I don't know where 'here' is._

"Who brought you here?"

 _Those people with the masks. They brought me here a while ago._

"Why did they bring you here? What for?"

 _I have no clue but it feels like something will go horribly wrong if this continues._

A long moment of silence passed. Though the two of them talked, their voices did not fill the air. The laboratory was quiet in a very eerie sort of way. Yamaguchi felt like this silence could be disrupted at any given moment. His eyes shot to the door, hoping no one could come through it.

"I'll get you out." Yamaguchi decided, though he wasn't even sure if he could accomplish such a task.

 _Will you really do that for me? I've been so alone for so long I thought no one would come._

"Yes, I promise I will save you so just wait."

 _I will be waiting._

Another moment of silence passed, the laboratory still just as eerie. Yamaguchi had no clue what was going on. He had no clue why he had promised to save whoever this was. He didn't even know if this was real.

"Who are you?"

 _You don't remember me? We've met before._

Yamaguchi thought for a long moment. He'd had a dream similar to this before.

 _Not the dreams. We met a long time ago. Do you remember? We were friends back then._

"Friends?" Yamaguchi couldn't recall any other friends from his past other than Tsukki. Had he been friends with someone else? "Tsukki is really the only friend I've had until recently."

 _I'm not a human friend._

"A Pokemon friend?"

 _Do you remember?_

Yamaguchi couldn't remember, at least not at the moment.

 _It's alright if you don't. It was a long time ago._

The voice sounded so disappointed and Yamaguchi felt horrible.

"I'm sorry."

 _Hush, be quiet!_

Just then a sound could be heard from the hall. A moment later, light flooded through the door. Yamaguchi felt mild panic.

 _We can't let them know you are here._

Panic filled Yamaguchi even more. If they knew he was here what would happen? Would they capture him too? All of a sudden it dawned on him that he wasn't in the hotel room anymore. Where had Tsukki gone? How did he get here? Why was he in a cage?

"They are figuring more and more out each day, so we may have to move locations soon," Came the familiar voice of the Boss.

Yamaguchi felt his heart run cold. He didn't want to see him. Not now!

"We will get things ready to move as soon as possible," Admin Mika replied.

Yamaguchi couldn't see the two but they must have been just outside the lab door. His eyes were fixed on the ajar door. He hoped they just passed on by and didn't come in. At first that seemed to be the case as their footsteps passed by the door.

"What's wrong, Drowzee?" Mika asked as the sound of walking halted.

A moment of silence passed. Yamaguchi almost jumped out of his skin as the Drowzee stepped into the room. The light from the hall flooded the entrance causing heavy shadows to fall upon the Drowzee's face. Its eyes were fixed on the cage as if it could see Yamaguchi standing right there. It didn't budge an inch as its eyes bore into Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi wanted to scream and shout but found he had no control over his own body. He wanted to hide, to get as far away from this place as he could.

"It seems we have a visitor tonight," The Boss purred as he entered the room. His snake-like eyes peered through his mask at the cage Yamaguchi was in.

"So it really was reaching out for help through dreams?" Admin Mika hummed, sounding almost annoyed. She looked to the cage as well but she didn't seem to realize there were two entities in it.

A dream? Was that what this was? Yamaguchi had been brought here through a dream?

"I had my suspicions. It is a Psychic Pokemon after all," The Boss replied as he approached the cage. "You've done a fine job sniffing this out, Drowzee," he praised, giving the Drowzee a pat on the head as he passed by. When he approached the cage his eyes gazed past the Pokemon within and right to where Yamaguchi was.

Yamaguchi felt horror. Those eyes, that smile and that voice. He saw them today at the aquarium. Was that really Daisho behind the mask? The sudden realization petrified Yamaguchi. The boss, he knew who he was, didn't he?

"I met someone today," The boss hummed, his eyes never leaving Yamaguchi. "It was that trainer who won the fossil showcase. Isn't he the same one who's been a thorn in your side, Admin Mika?"

"I swear he's onto us!" Admin Mika grunted. "He probably worked for that detective and bratty girl that's been on our tail!"

"I wonder if that's true," The Boss hummed. "Why don't you tell us yourself, Yamaguchi Tadashi, are you here just to get in our way?"

 _How did he know it was you?!_

Yamaguchi felt the need to scream. How did the Boss know his name? The sound of it leaving his lips almost gave Yamaguchi a heart attack. This team? Had they really been after him this whole time? Was he really somehow connected to this whole mess? This was just a dream, right? But it felt so real.

Panic filled Yamaguchi. His vision of the room blurred as he struggled to pull away. He needed to get out. He needed to get away from this man. They knew who he was and it horrified him. This must be a nightmare. It must be!

"I'll see you again soon, Yamaguchi," The Boss smoothly laughed.

 _No!_

A silent scream left Yamaguchi's mouth as the Drowzees eyes glowed. He felt as if he was being pulled apart and thrown far away. It hurt and he was scared. Tsukki, he wanted Tsukki. He needed to be with him now.

A horrified scream filled their hotel room as Yamaguchi trashed so hard he fell from the bed. Both Tsukishima and Eevee shot awake at the sound of the freckled trainer's screams and cries. Tsukki fumbled with the light switch before shooting out of bed to address his terrified boyfriend.

Gently scooping Yamaguchi up, Tsukki coaxed him awake. "Yamaguchi, wake up. It's just a dream."

Though he was still asleep, Yamaguchi was sobbing. This concerned Tsukishima. Eevee gave a very worried whimper from the bed as she watched her master cry.

"Yamaguchi, wake up," Tsukishima tried again, this time with a bit more force.

It worked. Yamaguchi's eyes cracked open. They were filled with tears. "T-Tsukki," Yamaguchi hiccuped. His horrified voice sounded almost relieved. Without another word, Yamaguchi threw himself into Tsukki's arms, holding him desperately. "I was so scared," he sobbed into his boyfriend's shoulder.

Tsukishima was struck silent from the shock. Yamaguchi was known for having night terrors. He had been since they first met, but he's never seen Yamaguchi so upset after a nightmare. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. "Yamaguchi, it's okay. It was only a dream," he decided on, the words falling a bit hollow.

Yamaguchi shook his head in against Tsukki's shoulder. "I-it was j-just too real," he replied between broken sobs. "Th-They k-know who I a-am."

Tsukishima was confused. What was Yamaguchi talking about? "Who knows who you are?"

"T-The b-b-boss," Yamaguchi replied, still too upset to say much more.

"Boss?" Tsukishima whispered. It took him a moment to realize what Boss Yamaguchi was referring to. He released a small sigh as he pulled Yamaguchi away from his shoulder. He examined his boyfriend for a long moment, brushing a few tears from his eyes. "Yamaguchi," he started, trying to keep his voice as gentle as possible. "That evil team has nothing to do with us. They aren't after you. You probably just had this nightmare because of what happened at the research lab today."

Yamaguchi gave a small hiccup. He only looked half convinced. "He knows who I am Tsukki. The Boss knows me. He said we'd meet again."

Yamaguchi was obviously very worked up at the moment. Scared tears still spilled from his eyes. There was no point in arguing with him until he has calmed down.

"Hey, let's get back in bed," Tsukishima decided, being gentle as he scooped Yamaguchi up. His boyfriend was shorter than he was but still considerably tall so the task was always a bit awkward.

Yamaguchi didn't protest. He snuggled close to Tsukki, soaking up the security of having him by his side.

"How about I read a bit to you about Tyrunt. I need to look into the types of food he eats anyways," Tsukishima decided. Reading about fossil pokemon always calmed Yamaguchi down.

Yamaguchi gave a small nod and he plastered himself to Tsukki's side. As the two settled into bed, Yamaguchi rested his head on Tsukki's shoulder. Tears still spilled from his eyes, but his sobs had stopped. Tsukishima's calm, even voice grounded him. As the moments passed, the dream became more and more foggy to him. Had it really just been a dream? It felt so real and the location seemed familiar. Was there really some sort of Pokemon calling out to him, or was he just stressed out over the day's events? Maybe Tsukki was right. Yamaguchi was just spooked and it manifested in a stress dream.

While the dream blurred in his mind certain elements of this still hung clear. The little voice in his head asking for his help. The way the Boss looked at him. The fear he felt as the Boss spoke his name. It just felt too real to be a dream. He'd had night terrors all his life, but none of them had haunted him quite like this one currently was.

Yamaguchi wiped the tears from his eyes as he gave a sniffle. He felt a bit better now that he had been allowed to calm down. As he nuzzled his cheek against Tsukki's shoulder he felt safety wash over him. He was with Tsukki. He was going to be okay. It was just a dream, and come tomorrow he doubted he would even remember much of it.

As Tsukki's voice calmed him, Yamaguchi began to relax. His tears subsided and his mind cleared a bit. Fear hung heavy in his body, as it often does after a nightmare, but he felt secure and safe. As he began to relax his eyelids felt heavy. He was a little scared to go back to sleep. What if he dreamt of that place again? He was exhausted from all that crying. The security of having Tsukki by his side allowed him to relax. Before long his eyes shut and he was sound asleep once more.

Upon realizing Yamaguchi had fallen back to sleep, Tsukishima placed his tablet on the side table. He shifted just enough to turn off the lamp, making sure not to disturb Yamaguchi as he did so. Settling back down in bed, he planted a gentle kiss on Yamaguchi's cheeks. He was worried for his boyfriend. Perhaps all of this was too stressful for him if he was having such horrible dreams. He promised then and there that he'd do everything he could to protect Yamaguchi.

As Tsukishima wrapped his arms around Yamaguchi he felt sleep overtake him too. It had been a long day and tomorrow they were to start their journey once more. He half wondered if they'd be able to wake up in time to check out. The thought of paying extra annoyed him but he couldn't bring himself to be too upset with Yamaguchi. As far as Tsukishima was concerned Yamaguchi was not a magnet for trouble but he hoped his boyfriend would be able to catch a break soon.

With Yamaguchi held tight it wasn't long before Tsukishima too fell into a deep sleep. With Eevee burrowed securely between the two trainers, the three slept soundly through the rest of the night. Yamaguchi's dreams were normal, and when Tsukishima woke him the next morning he still felt a bit shaken but the dream felt so far away, almost like a memory from the past.

They had somehow made it up in time to check out. Yamaguchi was a bit quieter than normal and Tsukishiam couldn't tell if he was still scared or just tired. Even Yamaguchi himself couldn't tell why he was so quiet. It wasn't long before they were joined by the others in their group for one last breakfast.

As the group ate their final meal together they told jokes and laughed. They talked about what they would do next and how they'd miss seeing each other. They promised to meet up again and keep in touch, though Tsukki wasn't as enthusiastic about this as the others. Yamaguchi was happy to be with his friends, laughing and enjoying the company but the dream from last night lingered, making it hard for him to truly smile.

As breakfast finished the group prepared themselves to say goodbye. The older trainers walked Yamaguchi and Tsukishima to the forest's edge. Kuroo and Bokuto showered Tsukki with praise and affection as they wished him luck on his gym battle. Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile at the friendship Tsukki had found despite how much he resisted it.

"I'm going to miss having you around," Sugawara sighed, sounding like a mother with an empty nest.

"Thanks for all the help, Sugawara," Yamaguchi smiled, doing his best to shake off the weird lingering feelings that had been following him since the morning.

"Hey, anytime," Sugawara smiled. "You can always reach out to me if you have something on your mind."

"Right…" Yamaguchi replied, doing his best to smile.

Sugawara examined the fake smile. Yamaguchi knew the older trainer could see right through him.

"You all right, Yamaguchi?" Sugawara asked.

"Y-Yeah," Yamaguchi quickly replied, his voice cracking a bit.

"It's not good to lie to your mother," Sugawara frowned.

A loud laugh from Bokuto and an angry shout from Tsukki could be heard from just beside them but Sugawara's eyes didn't budge from Yamaguchi. The pressure Sugawara exerted was too much for poor Yamaguchi.

"I guess I just had a bad dream last night," Yamaguchi fidgeted. "It was about that evil team coming after me. They knew my name and everything."

Sugawara looked a bit surprised by this answer. He had expected Yamaguchi's worries about his showcases but this made sense considering that Yamaguchi had run-ins with them a few times. "I understand why you might have such a dream," Sugawara softly comforted. "It may seem like your multiple encounters with them are not just coincidences, but according to officer Jenny many trainers have run into them in the past month or so."

Yamaguchi fidgeted on the spot. He had heard many people tell him the same thing. He knew his worries were probably absurd and just paranoia and nothing else. He gave a small nod despite not looking too convinced.

Sugawara gave a small worried sigh. It was hard to see Yamaguchi so down. "Hey, if they come after you again just know you have lots of people who'd be there to beat them up," Sugawara said with a small laugh.

The two looked over to see Kuroo and Bokuto attempting to give Tsukki a goodbye hug. All the while, Akaashi was trying to keep them calm. Knowing he had such great support and Tsukki by his side did make him feel a bit better. These worries were silly. There was no way the team would target him.

"I think just having Kuroo and Bokuto hoot at them would scare anyone off," Yamaguchi jokes, releasing a small chuckle

The two shared a good laugh as they watched Kuroo and Bokuto successfully hug Tsukishima. Yamaguchi felt better but he still had this lingering feeling in the back of his mind. In the dream, someone was waiting for him. He wondered if that had any meaning to it. He decided that not mentioning it would be for the best.

"Would you two stop that?" Tsukishima shouted with an angry thrash. His cheeks were pink with embarrassment.

Kuroo and Bokuto both backed off though they didn't look sorry in the least.

"They grow up so fast, don't they, Bokuto?" Kuroo sighed, though his smile stayed upon his face.

Bokuto wiped a fake tear from his eye. "One second they rely on you for everything and the next they won't even share a hug."

Tsukishima gave a flustered grunt at this. These two were just too much. "Are you ready to go or what?" Tsukishima barked at Yamaguchi.

"S-Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi apologised as he stifled a snicker. He rushed forward to join Tsukki. "I'm ready to go whenever."

"Then let's get out of here before these idiots decide to join us," Tsukishima snapped.

"Y'know… That's not such a bad idea," Kuroo hummed.

"You're not invited," Tsukishima barked.

Yamaguchi was going to miss such lovely moments but could tell Tsukki was more than ready to have some alone time. "We'll see you again soon, Kuroo," Yamaguchi cut in.

"Oh, how I'll miss you, sweet Yama," Kuroo sighed, taking him into a large hug.

A moment later Bokuto and Sugawara joined the hug. Yamaguchi made a muffled sound as he found himself being smashed between the three. Eevee squeaked from his arms having also been caught up in the hug. Yamaguchi felt safe in this hug. He and Tsukki really did have friends to rely on no matter what happens.

"Always stay sweet, Yama," Kuroo sobbed.

"O-Okay," Yamaguchi's muffled voice could be heard from the center of the hug.

The next thing Yamaguchi knew he was being yanked from the hug by his shoulders.

"We're leaving," Tsukishima announced with a small pout.

"Not so good at sharing, are you?" Kuroo teased.

Tsukishima only huffed as he turned towards the forest.

"Thank you all again for everything," Yamaguchi once more said with a genuine smile this time. "See you all soon," he added before following Tsukki who had already headed off into the forest.

"You two take care," Akaashi called after.

"Keep in touch," Kuroo shouted, with a wave goodbye.

"Contact me anytime," Sugawara remined. "Take care."

"Don't forget me!" Bokuto cried loudly.

"Like we could," Tsukishima mumbled from beside Yamaguchi, not bothering to look back.

"Bye!" Yamaguchi called out one last time before fully turning on his heels towards the forest. He was really going to miss everyone.

As the shouts from Bokuto and Kuroo faded, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima walked closer and closer to one another. Soon all they could hear was the sound of the forest. It's relieving to be back with Tsukki again, traveling just the two of them to their next destination. As the two walked it wasn't long before they took each other's hand. It was a new way for them to travel, but both trainers quite liked it.

Author Notes:

Yamaguchi pormissed Sugawara he'd dedicate more time to training Jangmo-o and he wasn't going to go back on that. Now the problem was getting Jangmo-o on board with the bonding sessions. Stay tuned for the next chapter, Bonding Time!

Hey all. I want to thank everyone for the follows, bookmarks, kudos, reviews and comments. I love to hear from my readers so please leave some feedback for me down below .

My move is happening in just two weeks. With each day becoming more busy getting ready to move I have less and less leisure time to write. I'm hoping no later than June everything's back to normal.

I hope everyone is taking care. I know many places are promoting self isolation with the spread of the CoronaVirus. The country I currently live in isn't doing too much in terms of keeping the virus a baye so I am a bit worried. I hope everyone is washing their hands and being responsible about going out.

That's all for now. See you next chapter!


	76. Bonding Time

Hey all! Sorry for missing an update last weekend. It's a miracle I'm getting this up tonight. I hope you all enjoy chapter 76. So many of you have been wanting this chapter so here it is! Enjoy 3

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name crow-forest. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested

Chapter 76, I choose you!

Bonding Time

Yamaguchi had done well to calm himself on the first day of their travels. The dreams he'd had and the run-ins with the evil team still lurked in the back of his mind, but with life back to being relatively normal he was able to push his worries to the side. Being on the road again, just him and Tsukki, was something he hadn't realized he'd missed so much. Company with others was always fun, but he was never really able to relax like he can when it's just him and Tsukki.

Their first day ended with them camping by a small stream. It was warmer now that summer was almost in full swing so staying up late and enjoying the starry sky around the campfire with Tsukki was something they could take their time doing. The next day they found themselves at a nice pokemon center along the path. Tsukki, wanting to do a bit more training before arriving in Shalour City, decided they'd stay the night at the Center's Hostel.

"Your most recent performance truly was amazing, Yamaguchi," Shimada praised from the other side of the PC screen. "I wish I could have been there to see it live."

"It was thanks to all the help I got," Yamaguchi said with a small blush to his cheeks.

Shimada smiled at his shy student's reaction to his compliment. "So, what's next on the agenda for you two?"

Yamaguchi paused for a moment as he considered the question. "Well, we are due to arrive in Shalour City for Tsukki's next gym battle tomorrow, and after that I'm not too sure what our plan is."

"Have you looked into your next showcase?" Shimada asked as he relaxed in his seat. As he did so, his Leafeon leapt into his lap for a cuddle.

"I've done a bit of digging," Yamaguchi nodded as he watched Leafeon's swishing tail through the screen. He stroked Eevee's fluffy fur as he thought. "I saw a few of interest but before I join my next one I think I want to train Eevee up a bit more."

"Not a bad idea," Shimada nodded in agreement. "Has she come out of her shell at all since her last time on stage?"

"She's a bit better since participating in the camp," Yamaguchi hummed, running his fingers through her soft mane. "But I'm not sure how to tell when she's going to be ready for the stage again."

"Well, I can send you some tips on how to get a timid Pokemon used to crowds like that," Shimada replied. "The best way is exposure, but there are little ways each day to help her get more used to people watching her."

"Thanks. That'd be much appreciated," Yamaguchi smiled.

"Anything for my number one student," Shimada beamed.

A moment of comfortable silence hung between the two before Yamaguchi was reminded of something.

"Hey, so how come you never told me how famous you and your family were?" Yamaguchi said, sending an accusing look through the screen.

Shimada gave a small chuckle. He didn't look too surprised by the question "What brought this on?"

"Everyone at the camp practically fell out of their seats when they found out you were the one I got Eevee from," Yamaguchi pouted. "I had no clue."

"My family isn't that famous," Shimada shrugged. "And I haven't participated in a showcase for years so I assumed everyone forgot."

"Well, a heads up would have been nice," Yamaguchi only pouted more as he said this. He had felt like such a fool that night. "By the way, everyone wants to meet you."

"Well, they'll just have to make an appointment," Shimada joked. "But my schedule is pretty full with my current student."

Yamaguchi gave another small pout though he knew Shimada was joking.

"So, was there anything else you wanted to talk about other than my fame?" Shimada asked with a small chuckle. "I've got time today."

Yamaguchi only pouted more as the small fame comment. He then thought for a moment. He was unsure about mentioning the feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him he was being tracked by that evil team. He juggled mentioning it for a moment and Shimada could see the worry on Yamaguchi's face.

"You know you can tell me anything," Shimada sincerely said. "I'm here to help you."

Yamaguchi hesitated for another moment. He knew the concern of the evil team was all in his head. "I guess I'm just still worried about not getting enough keys in time," he half lied. It was true that this was a worry that often plagued him, though it wasn't the culprit of his concern today.

"That's something all showcase contestants worry about," Shimada hummed in agreement. "I still have nightmares about it even though I'm not doing showcases anymore."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Yamaguchi said with a weak chuckle. "I just figured if I lose too many times all these wins will be for nothing."

"I know losing a showcase can be pretty disheartening but never let it get you down," Shimada said. "You have the talent so if you keep on going you're bound to get all five keys."

Yamaguchi gave a quiet nod. Despite Shimada's insistence, Yamaguchi wasn't so sure he fully believed in himself in the same way.

"Getting down on yourself will only make your nerves worse," Shimada gently scolded. "But I know some useful exercises to help train yourself to not think like that."

Yamaguchi looked up in interest. He often didn't know what to do when his mind got the best of him.

Shimada gave a confident smile at seeing the interest in his pupil. "With a bit of practice, you'll see your true potential just as clearly as I do."

The two chatted for a good hour. Shimada walked Yamaguchi through several calming exercises, and Yamaguchi filled almost five pages in his notebook in that period. He wasn't so sure if it would actually work for him, but he'd definitely give it a try. Shimada was a professional after all.

With lunch just around the corner, the two trainers bid each other farewell. Yamaguchi promised to update Shimada on his training and Shimada said he'd send some more practice material his way. By the time the two said goodbye Eevee was now fully awake, begging her trainer for lunch.

"I know, I know," Yamaguchi cooed as he ruffled Eevee's head. "Sorry I'm late."

Eevee gave an impatient squeak in reply, and with that Yamaguchi headed back to the room he and Tsukki had booked for the night.

Tsukki was going to be out for the whole day training leaving Yamaguchi alone for the day. He divided out lunch for his team before calling everyone out. They had all taken notice of his lateness but none gave him much attitude. Riolu and Swirlix dug right into their meals while Brionne and Eevee were more dainty about it. As usual, Jangmo-o ate off to the side, not interacting with anyone in the room. This was how she normally ate her meals. Yamaguchi would serve her a bowl of food and without so much as looking at him she'd drag it off to a corner before demanding to go back into the ball.

As the Pokemon ate, Yamaguchi munched on his lunch of rice balls he had made that morning at their camp. Swirlix and Riolu begged for more food, as they normally did after finishing a meal, and won themselves a Pecha berry each. After her meal Eevee made herself comfortable on Yamaguchi's bed for a nap while Brionne checked up on Jangmo-o. Out of everyone on Yamaguchi's team, Brionne was the only one Jangmo-o seemed to like.

Yamaguchi watched as Brionne conversed happily with the brooding dragon type. Jangmo-o gave a few grunts before turning tail on Brionne in search of her Luxury ball. She normally helped herself back into her ball once she was done eating, but today Yamaguchi had made sure to hide it for from today onward he wasn't going to run from Jangmo-o anymore.

Jangmo-o rummaged through Yamaguchi's bag. Yamaguchi tensely watched as she removed everything from the bag, each moment she seemed to show more and more frustration. Once the bag was empty she scanned the room, checking over each item before zoning in on Tsukki's bag. Riolu watched curiously from Yamaguchi's lap as she began to dig through Tsukki's bag. With a happy bark, Brionne joined her.

Yamaguchi sat stiff. It was only a matter of time that Jangmo-o turned on him demanding her ball. He wasn't going to relent today. He wasn't scared of her. She was also part of their team!

Swirlix made herself comfortable on Yamaguchi's empty bag as Jangmo-o threw the contents of Tsukki's bag all over the room. Yamaguchi had warned Tsukki that this might happen. Jangmo-o gave an angry growl as Tsukki's bag also came up empty. With all bags now searched and her Luxury ball nowhere in sight she turned on Yamaguchi. Her angry red eyes focused on him. Riolu gave a small defensive bark but Yamaguchi calmed her down.

"Sorry, but today we're starting your training," Yamaguchi said, doing his best not to flinch when Jangmo-o snarled.

Brionne gave a joyful bark at this while the rest of the team looked unsure about the idea of training alongside Jangmo-o.

"Whether you like it or not, you're part of our team!" Yamaguchi smiled, as he did his best to show excitement and not intimidation.

Jangmo-o gave a growl as if to say 'yeah right' before she feverishly searched the room for her ball.

"There is no use in searching. You're not going back into your ball until training is over," Yamaguchi said with a stiff nod.

Jangmo-o turned on him, growling once more as if to challenge him.

Yamaguchi wasn't going to falter. "Now come on. We're all going to go berry picking," he said as he headed to the door. The rest of his team cheered for it was one of their favorite boning activities. It always ended in a fresh dessert after dinner.

Jangmo-o didn't head to the door. Instead, she headed to Tsukki's bed. Leaping up on it she curled up into a ball as if to say 'I'm not going.'

"Now, none of that!" Yamaguchi scolded, half knowing this was going to happen. "We are all going to pick berries so come on!" he said as he scooped her up. He knew this was a bad idea for the next thing he felt were her sharp teeth sinking into his arm.

Riolu and Eevee gave yelps of concern as Yamaguchi squeaked in pain. Even Brionne barked in worry. Despite her teeth breaking his skin he didn't let her go. If he let in now then she'd learn that biting got her what she wanted and he couldn't have that.

"You're coming with us," Yamaguchi said, holding Jangmo-o in his arms. Her teeth only sank deeper causing him to flinch. "Brionne, get the door!" he said through gritted teeth.

His whole team was looking on in worry, but despite this Brionne opened the door for him. With the angry Jangmo-o still biting into his arm, Yamaguchi led the team down the hall and out of the Pokemon center. The few trainers in the lobby looked on in concern at the blood that was now pooling on Yamaguchi's shirt but no one said a word.

By the time Yamaguchi made it to the small grove of berry trees in the forest Jangmo-o had released his arm and had gone boneless in his arms. She was now using the dead weight tactic to slow him down but Yamguchi was not going to give in. Eevee and Riolu shot her dirty looks anytime Yamaguchi wasn't paying attention. How dare she hurt their beloved trainer's arm?

"Swirlix, Riolu, and Eevee, you three can search that end of the grove while we search this end," Yamaguchi said, not yet placing Jangmo-o down for fear she would run off.

The three Pokemon looked to his bleeding arm in concern. The bite wasn't that bad but they couldn't help but worry for their trainer.

"I'll call you three over when we are ready to head back," Yamaguchi smiled, brushing off their worry. "We can have cake after dinner tonight if we get enough berries."

Even the promise of cake didn't seem to calm their concerns, but they did as they were told.

Once the three were off Yamaguchi turned his attention to the pouting Jangmo-o in his arms. Brionne gave a worried bark as she waited for Yamaguchi's command. "Now, I'm going to put you down and together we will find some nice berries for dessert tonight," Yamaguchi explained. "No running off, okay?"

Jangmo-o didn't react, only pouting at the sky behind Yamaguchi.

With a heavy sigh, Yamaguchi placed her on the floor. Jangmo-o melted into a puddle, as she glared daggers at the forest. Yamaguchi half wondered if he was pushing her too much at once. Brionne gave a small encouraging bark as she gave Jangmo-o a gentle nudge. Jangmo-o glanced her way for only a moment before carrying on with her pout.

"Let's get to picking," Yamaguchi said as he placed the basket beside Jangmo-o. "You can man the basket while we pick."

Jangmo-o glanced at the basket but didn't make a move to take it. Well, at least she was here with them getting fresh air and sunlight.

Yamaguchi and Brionne took time picking berries. Yamaguchi made sure to keep an eye on Jangmo-o as they worked. The grumpy dragon didn't move from her spot on the forest floor. She sat beside the basket and pouted, not bothering to look at anything in particular. Thankfully, she looked more stubborn than miserable.

Yamaguchi didn't blame her for being as angry as she was. He had done very little up until now to try and bond with her. Back in Alola he had been too scared of her to really do anything. Jangmo-o had spent most of her time with his grandma. She had hated him since the day he caught her and he was the only one to blame for not having done anything until now to remedy that. Perhaps his grandma knew he needed to get over his fear of her before Jangmo-o could truly be happy and that's why she had insisted he bring her along to Kalos. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

Yamaguchi's injured arm ached now that the bleeding had subsided. It was swollen and red around the bite wound and he knew he needed to do something about it or it could get infected. With a bit of Brionne's help he flushed it out and wrapped it with a bit of extra cloth from his bag. All the while, Jangmo-o didn't show an ounce of remorse. Honestly, Yamaguchi probably deserved the bite after the way he had neglected her.

It was late afternoon by the time their baskets were full. Riolu, Eevee, and Swirlix had returned with just as many berries. Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel proud of his team's hard work. He was even relieved that Jangmo-o hadn't tried to run this whole time.

With the angry boneless Jangmo-o in his arms, Yamaguchi led his team back to the pokemon center. The others took turns carrying the basket of berries as they followed after their beloved trainer. Jangmo-o pouted all the while, though she now looked more tired then angry. Perhap a few more outings like this would help to open up her shell.

Once back at their room Yamaguchi placed Jangmo-o on his bed only for her to get up and make herself comfortable on Tsukki's bed. She turned her back to him and the rest of the team as she curled into a ball. Perhaps she had had enough for one day.

Not wanting to push her too hard at once, Yamaguchi left Jangmo-o with Brionne to nap as he took the rest of his team to prep the berries and make cake for after dinner. Riolu and Eevee were still pretty new in the kitchen but they were catching on pretty fast. Riolu loved to stir the ingredients while Eevee seemed to get a lot of joy pouring things into the bowl. It was finally nice that the two got along so well and Yamaguchi wondered if he'd ever be able to get through to Jangmo-o in the same way.

By the time the cake was finished, it was time for dinner. Tsukki was already back in the room when Yamaguchi arrived with cake in hand. Jangmo-o sat at the foot of Tsukki's bed, curled up asleep. She didn't hate Tsukki nearly as much as she hated Yamaguchi.

Tsukki eyed the cake as Yamaguchi placed it on the table. "I see you've been busy today," Tsukishima said, as he scanned Yamaguchi over.

"Yeah, started my training with Jangmo-o," Yamaguchi laughed as he took a seat at the table. "The cake is for after dinner," he added as Tsukki eyed the cake. "How was training for you?"

"Fine," Tsukishima shrugged as he eye's landed on Yamaguchi's poorly wrapped arm. "What happened?"

"Just a small bite from Jangmo-o," Yamaguchi shrugged. He had been trying to ignore the throbbing in his arm all day.

Without a word, Tsukishima got up and strode over to where Yamaguchi sat. He pulled a chair over, sat across from Yamaguchi and without asking took his injured arm. Gently he unwrapped the fabric. Yamaguchi gave a pained yelp as his arm stung in pain.

"It's already infected," Tsukishima frowned. He wasn't surprised that Yamaguchi hadn't gone to see the nurse after getting the bite but he was still pissed off.

"It's not that bad," Yamaguchi replied, failing to hide his pain.

"First aid clinic now!" Tsukishima demanded.

"But dinner," Yamaguchi weakly argued.

"Now!" Tsukishima didn't relent. Like he was going to allow his boyfriend to sit around with an infected arm.

Yamaguchi pouted as he stood up from his seat. "Fine!"

Tsukishima called out Salazzle. "You and Brionne are in charge while we are gone."

The two Pokemon nodded in understanding. Eevee rushed to Yamaguchi's side squeaking in worry.

"I'll be back soon, then we can have dinner and cake," Yamaguchi cooed gently, giving her head a stroke.

Eevee gave another worried squeak before turning to glare at Jangmo-o.

"Now, none of that," Yamaguchi scolded. "You all got along while we're gone."

Eevee and Riolu pouted as Brionne barked as if to say 'I have everything under control.'

With that Tsukishima led Yamaguchi out of the room to the first aid center at the Pokemon Center. Yamaguchi could tell that Tsukishima was upset with him but he mostly ignored it. Once they reached the center, Yamaguchi was treated and given some antibiotics to treat the infection. The nurse commented on how bites from certain pokemon infect quickly and should be treated right away.

"I wish you would take better care of yourself," Tsukishima grumbled as they headed back to the room.

"I'm fine, so no harm done," Yamaguchi shot back. At the time he didn't want to stop his training with Jangmo-o, but he did learn his lesson about bite wounds.

Tsukishima was pretty angry for the rest of the evening. Yamaguchi didn't try to push his boyfriend too much. Tsukki always got like this when Yamaguchi was too reckless but Yamaguchi knew Tsukki would warm up once dessert was served.

Eevee and Riolu were extra cuddly with Yamaguchi that night. They doted over their injured trainer, treating him as if he had almost died. He hoped this didn't cause problems with their relationship with Jangmo-o.

After dessert, Yamaguchi finally allowed Jangmo-o back into her ball. She wasn't as grumpy as before, but still refused to look Yamaguchi in the eye. She still didn't seem too remorseful for having hurt him but Yamaguchi was okay with that though he did hope she'd refrain from biting him tomorrow.

With all Pokemon back in their balls, beside Eevee, Yamaguchi made himself comfortable next to Tsukki on his bed. He cuddled up close to his boyfriend, ready for a bit of snuggles before sleep.

"I'm still mad at you," Tsukishima grumbled, though he didn't push Yamaguchi away.

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi sighed, before placing a small peck on Tsukki lips. "I'll be more careful next time."

"The next time you get a bite you better treat it," Tsukishima scowled, before kissing Yamaguchi back.

Yamaguchi smiled against Tsukki's lips. He was always surprised by Tsukki's sudden shows of care.

"You're too reckless sometimes," Tsukisima scolded as the two nuzzled close.

"Not reckless," Yamaguchi half pouted.

All Tsukishima could do was sigh. How many times had they had this conversation since starting this journey. Back in Alola he never noticed how reckless Yamaguchi could be.

"Well better take it easy until that infection is gone," Tsukishima sighed into the top of Yamaguchi's head.

"Yes, sir," Yamaguchi calmly mumbled into Tsukki's neck. He felt the pull of sleep tugging him down.

Tsukishima replied with a gravelly hum. He knew Yamaguchi was making fun of him, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry anymore. He was just happy Yamaguchi was fine. He'd just have to keep a close eye on him from now on. He held Yamaguchi close as they both drifted off to sleep, the second bed in the room left forgotten.

Authors Note:

Finally the two have made it to Shalour City but where is Korrina and who is this old man!? Oh-No, Riolu! What has she got around her neck!? Stay tuned for the next chapter, The Evolution Stones!

Hey guys! I want to thank you all so much for following, bookmarking, commenting, giving kudos and leaving reviews. I love to hear from my readers so please do leave a comment or review if you have time 3

Yep, so this is the weekend I make my move and may not have time to post chapters for a month or so. I'll need to get the internet in my new place set up before I can post again. I'm sorry to make you all wait so long but I promise this isn't over yet!

Well, I hope you are all taking care during this crazy time. Everybody stay safe! See you next chapter!


	77. The Evolution Stones

Hey all! Surprise! It's me! I am here to drop off a chapter between waves of being busy. Don't get too too excited. I think my upload schedule will still be all over the place for the next month but enjoy this while I settle down on my end.

This chapter was beta read by my regular beta reader Killer Squids. You can find their work on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name crow-forest. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.

Any Artwork you may see associated with this fic (on AO3, or Tumblr) has all been created by my good friend SlothyClaws. That is their instagram also have a website ( .com). They do commissions and their commissions are open to anyone that is interested. Go and give their page a look if you are interested

Chapter 77, I choose you!

The Evolution Stones

It was late afternoon when Yamaguchi and Tsukishima arrived in Shalour City. After leaving the Pokemon center the day before Yamaguchi only forced Jangmo-o to spend time out of her ball when they weren't traveling. Tsukishima also insisted on training closer to the camp than he normally would. Though he insisted it would save time if he didn't wander too far into the woods, the real reason was to keep an eye on Jangmo-o. He wasn't going to let her bite his boyfriend again.

Fortunately for the two trainers, the small silver dragon didn't attempt to bite Yamaguchi again even when he picked her up. Jangmo-o didn't really seem to be warming up much towards Yamaguchi, but she was less fussy about being out of her ball. She never willingly did anything she was told, going boneless if Yamaguchi tried to move her around. She seemed to get along decently well with several members of Tsukki's team. Shelgon, Servine, and Frogadier were the three that Jangmo-o tolerated but Salazzle and Tyrunt were a different story. The excitable dinosaur pokemon annoyed her. He was too loud, too rough, and too affectionate. Salazzle hated Jangmo-o just as much as Riolu and Eevee did for biting Yamaguchi. It was definitely a struggle but Yamaguchi was happy she was starting to get along with some of her travel companions.

Once the two had arrived in Shalour City they headed to the Pokemon center for a quick rest and bite to eat. Upon arriving they found out they'd be able to head to the gym in just an hour or so as the tide would be out. With their Pokemon healed up and their stomachs full of lunch, they headed to the gym. Tsukishima seemed eager to get the gym badge despite not saying anything. Yamaguchi could tell by the glint in his eye.

"Wow, we sure are lucky that the tide was out right as we got here," Yamaguchi said as they headed across the sandbar connecting to the gym. "If we had arrived a few hours later we would have missed our chance."

Tsukishima gave a quiet nod of agreement. His eyes were fixed on the Tower of Mastery. Yamaguchi knew that this time Tsukki wasn't quiet because he was nervous but because he was focused.

Quietly, Yamaguchi reached out to gently take his boyfriend's hand. "I can't wait to see you battle Korrina."

Tsukishima replied with a gentle squeeze of the hand.

The two walked like that the rest of the way across the bridge. The sun was high, there was a warm sea breeze, and Yamaguchi couldn't be more at ease. He knew today was going to be perfect.

Once they arrived at the gym the two scaled the stairs and entered the large tower. Just like before they were greeted by the large statue of Lucario. The building was quiet. Yamaguchi had half expected at least one other trainer to be there battling for their badge.

"Hello, is anyone here?" Yamaguchi called out, his voice echoing off the walls.

There was no reply. Was the gym closed? Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki in concern. Tsukishima looked back with a shrug.

"Maybe we should check the battlefield?" Yamaguchi suggested, half unsure if it was okay for them to just let themselves in.

"Wouldn't hurt," Tsukishima agreed.

Yamaguchi gave a reluctant nod. With that Tsukki led Yamaguchi to the elevator. They entered and selected the floor where Tsukki had last had their battle.

"I wonder why it's so quiet?" Yamguchi hummed as they rode the elevator up.

"I guess gyms have their slow days as well," Tsukishima shrugged. He didn't seem as concerned as Yamaguchi felt.

With a ding the elevator emptied them on their floor. They entered the spectator section of the battlefield. The room was just as quiet. Yamaguchi walked to the railing to look over the field. "No one is here…" He hummed as Tsukki joined him.

Tsukishima gave a quiet nod as he scanned the empty field. Yamaguchi could see a bit of disappointment in his eyes.

"Maybe if we wait a bit someone will come," Yamaguchi suggested.

"Who knows how long that will take," Tsukishiam replied with a shake of his head. "We can just come back tomorrow."

Yamaguchi could only frown. He knew how much Tsukki had been looking forward to this rematch. The coincidence of the land bridge being exposed just as they arrived was too good to be true.

"Hey, how did you two get in here?" a voice of an old man echoed from the battlefield.

Yamaguchi nearly jumped out of his pants as he grabbed Tsukki's arm. The two trainers looked to see an old man peering up at them from the field. He was bald and had the bushiest eyebrows Yamaguchi had ever seen on anyone. His eyes looked very similar to Korrina's.

"We came in through the entrance," Tsukishima flatly replied.

"Sorry for intruding," Yamaguci followed up.

"I don't suppose you two are here for a battle against Korrina?" the old man asked.

"Why else would anyone come here?" Tsukishima replied.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but give his boyfriend a small nudge at the rude comment.

The old man chuckled as he looked up at the two. "She's out at the moment but will be back soon. Why don't you two come on down here?" he said, gesturing to the stairs that led from the spectator stand to the battle field.

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima exchanged a look before heading down the stairs. The old man didn't seem upset but Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel rude for having just let themselves in.

"S-Sorry for the intrusion," Yamaguchi apologized again upon joining the old man on the field.

"Not a problem," the old man laughed. "I assume Korrina forgot to lock the front door before leaving. I'm Gurkkin, by the way, Korinna's grandfather."

"It's nice to meet you," Yamaguchi politely replied. "I'm Yamaguchi and this is Tsukki."

"Tsukishima," Tsukishima corrected, sending his boyfriend a side eye.

"Hey, I know you," Gurkinn said as he examined Yamaguchi. "You're one of the showcase contestants that won recently. Good job on your last win."

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks go pink. "Oh, th-thank you!"

"When will Korrina be back?" Tsukishima asked, getting right to the point. "Should we come back tomorrow?"

"Oh, no need to leave so soon," Gurkinn insisted. "She is due to arrive back anytime I'm sure."

"I-Is it really okay if we wait here for her?" Yamaguchi stuttered, still feeling a bit flustered at being recognised.

"I'm fine with it," Gurkinn insisted. He paused for a moment almost as if he recalled something. "In fact, I have something you two might be able to help me with while you wait for her return."

Yamaguchi looked to Tsukki to see his reaction. Tsukki looked at the old man stone faced.

"We'd love to help however we can," Yamaguchi replied, not wanting to be bothersome guests.

Gurkinn gave a small chuckle before turning towards exit. "Follow me then."

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima exchanged a quiet glance before following after the old man. Yamaguchi could tell Tsukki was suspicious of the old man but was restraining himself to say anything rude. The last thing they wanted was to be kicked out of the gym.

Gurkinn led the two into the elevator and down to the first floor. He made small talk with Yamaguchi about their home region as they made their descent. Upon exiting the elevator, Gurkinn led the two towards the large statue of Lucario in the middle of the entrance, stopping at the pedestal's door.

Yamaguchi shifted uncomfortably as Gurkinn fiddled with a key and unlocked the door. He couldn't help but wonder what secrets this room held. He was surprised they were being let in. It seemed like such an important place to allow two strangers access.

"You'll have to excuse the mess," Gurkinn apologised as he led the two in.

Following Tsukki, Yamaguchi entered the room. The two trainers gave a start as the light was switched on to reveal the room. If the two could see the room in it's full they'd have known it was just your ordinary square room but currently it was buried in mess. There were stacks of boxes reaching as high as the roof. Papers were strewn everywhere. What looked to be an old desk peeked out from under a pile of old magazines. Yamaguchi began to dread what it was Gurkinn needed help with.

"I guess I really did let this place go," Gurkinn mumbled to himself.

"Ya think?" Tsukishima replied before he could stop himself.

"I only really need help with moving the boxes," Gurkinn replied, ignoring the comment. "Two strapping young trainers such as yourself shouldn't have any trouble with that."

Yamaguchi replied with a nervous laugh. He did have a point, but he nor Tsukki had planned on organizing boxes today. Tsukishima quietly side eyed the old man.

"I'm sure you have pokemon who can help you out as well," Gurkinn carried on, this time his voice a bit more feeble then it had been.

Rejection was on the tip of both trainers tongues but neither could bring themselves to do it. What if denying the old man upset Korinna? Yamaguchi wasn't one for confrontation either.

"W-Where shall we start?" Yamaguchi reluctantly asked, forcing himself to smile.

Tsukishima shot Yamaguchi a silent look. Why did his boyfriend have to be so nice?

"Oh, maybe these boxes here in the front," Gurkinn smiled, pointing to a pile near the door.

Yamaguchi gave a nod before calling out his team to help; excluding Jangmo-o this time. He then looked to Tsukki expecting him to do the same. Tsukki rolled his eyes before calling out his crew minus a Tryrunt who'd be more work than help.

"Hear that, everyone? We are going to help out Gurkinn here a bit," Yamaguchi explained to the pokemon. He got a varied range of replies from Brionne's excited bark to Frogadier's indifferent shrug. None of the pokemon seemed as put off by the task as Tsukki. Tsukki hated being tricked into helping.

With that the crew was split into teams. The smaller Pokemon and Yamaguchi helped Gurkinn and with organizing while the larger ones helped Tsukishima move boxes out of the room. Yamaguchi had offered to help move boxes but Tsukki refused, reminding Yamaguchi that he shouldn't be lifting heavy boxes with his infected arm. Fortunately Gurkinn called out his two Lucario to help with the moving thus convincing Yamaguchi to help organize the loose items in the room.

"You and your Riolu did a phenomenal job at that last showcase you won," Gurkinn praised as he watched Riolu and Eevee dig through a pile of old papers.

"Th-Thank you," Yamaguchi replied as he organized magazines into a box. "She really is an amazing Pokemon to have on my team."

"Seeing a Riolu us Aura Sphere was special," Gurkinn nodded. "It's normally a move they learn only after evolving into Lucario. I wish I could have been there to see it live."

"Yeah, I've been told that her knowing that move isn't normal," Yamaguchi hummed, recalling how many times people showed such shock at her ability to use Aura Sphere.

"It's very uncommon but not unheard of for a Riolu to know Aura Sphere before it evolves into Lucario," Grunkinn explained as he and Yamaguchi finished filling the box. "I've owned many Riolu in my time and none have learned the move before evolving but I've heard stories of Riolu knowing the move. I never thought I'd meet such a Riolu in person," he said with a big smile.

Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel proud of Riolu. She had worked hard to master the move and deserved the fanfare. "She really is a special little girl."

"Indeed," Gurkinn agreed. "And she seems quite happy to have you as her partner. You can see the love and affection she has for you. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if she evolved soon."

"What? Really?" Yamaguchi gasped. It never occurred to him that Riolu could be close to evolving.

"It's through love and affection with a trainer that causes Riolu to evolve into Lucario," Gurkinn explained. "I've spent many years with Riolu and can tell just by looking when one is on the brink of evolution."

Yamaguchi couldn't help but hide his smile as he looked to Riolu. Was she really about to evolve? He'd have his second evolved Pokemon soon. Noticing her trainer's eye on her, Riolu gave a happy yip before running to his side for a pet.

"Are you really ready to evolve?" Yamaguchi asked in a baby voice as he gave Riolu's face a squish.

Riolu gave a happy bark. It was hard to tell if she knew what Yamaguchi had asked but she seemed happy regardless.

"The relationship between a trainer and Pokemon sure is beautiful," Gurkinn smiled as he watched the two.

It was when a box fell and it's content spread across the floor that the two trainer's attention fell from Riolu to Eevee who had just narrowly dodged the box. With a scared yelp she jumped into Yamaguchi's arms. Riolu made a stance as if she was ready to fight the box for spooking her sister.

"Oh my, I guess we need to be more careful as we move these boxes around," Gurkinn chuckled, walking over to examine the content on the floor.

Yamaguchi joined the older man, ready to help him refill the box. He was shocked to find that the box had been full of what looked to be evolutions stones.

"I heard a crash. Is everything okay?" Tsukishima asked as he cooly strode into the room. His eyes went straight to his boyfriend and he only relaxed upon confirming that Yamaguchi hadn't been harmed.

"A box fell," Gurkinn grunted as he crouched down. "Why don't you two help me with these stones?"

Yamaguchi bent beside the old man picking up a dark shining stone. He examined it with a bit of wonder as he held it up to the light. He'd never really held any evolution stone as they were often outside of his price range. He could feel an odd energy coming from it.

"That is a dusk stone," Gurkkin smiled, enjoying the wonder in the younger trainer's eyes.

"Wow, I never realized evolution stones emitted such energy," Yamaguchi said as he placed the stone into the box only to pick up a yellow stone to examine.

"It takes a lot of energy for a Pokemon to evolve and they think that it's the immense energy in these stones that gets a Pokemon to evolve just by touching them," Tsukishima explained as he examined a fiery red stone.

"You seem to know your evolution stones," Gurkinn praised.

"Tsukki knows a lot about stones," Yamaguchi proudly bragged.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry Tsukki!"

Gurkinn laughed at the exchange. It was rejuvenating to be around such youth. "Do you know what stone that you're holding?" he asked Tsukki.

"Obviously a fire stone," Tsukishima flatly replied.

"Correct," Gurkinn laughed, not taking any offence. "It can be used to evolve all sorts of Pokemon, including Eevee," he said looking to Eevee in Yamaguchi's arms. "I've always been partial to Flareon myself."

Yamaguchi held Eevee tight at the mention of her. It didn't even occur to him that one of these stones could evolve her here and now.

"The one you have is a thunder stone," Gurkinn carried on, pointing to the yellow stone Yamaguchi held.

"With this, she can become a Jolteon," Yamaguchi hummed, placing the stone in the box.

Gurkinn gave a happy nod. "There is one more stone that can be used to evolve Eevee. Do you know which one?"

"The water stone evolves her into Vaporeon," Tsukishima answered, picking up the blue stone.

"Correct again," Gurkinn replied, sounding like a show host. "You're welcome to take one of these stones if you'd like," he added, looking to Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi was caught off guard by this. "I-Is th-that really okay?" he asked, not sure what to do.

"I won't be using any of these soon to evolve any of my Pokemon," Gurkinn shrugged. "Feel free to take one if you'd like," he insisted.

Yamaguchi hesitated. He looked to eevee who could sense his reluctance. She gave a small trill as she tried to figure out why Yamaguchi looked worried. Yamaguchi hadn't given much thought as to what he wanted to evolve Eevee into.

Gurkinn could see the conflict in Yamaguchi's eyes. "You needn't decide now. Think about it and if you would like one before you go let me know. There are also other options for Eevee as well outside of the stone evolutions."

Yamaguchi gave a nod as he placed an ice stone into the box. He tried to recall the other ways for eevee to evolve but he couldn't remember the exact details.

"The Eevee evolution I always enjoyed was Leafeon," Gurkinn hummed. "But to get one of them you need to take your Eevee to certain locations for them to become Leafeon as well as Glaceon."

That's right. Yamaguchi did recall that some evolutions of Eevee needed to be in a certain environment to evolve like the coldest place for Glaceon. He gave a little hum. He'd always liked Glaceon, and he wondered if there was such a cold place in Kalos.

"What Eevee evolution do you like?" Yamaguchi asked, looking at Tsukki.

"What does it matter what I like," Tsukshima shrugged. "She's your Eevee."

"I'm not asking you what I should evolve her into," Yamaguchi pouted, genuinely interested in Tsukki's answer.

"I guess Umbreon is pretty cool," Tsukishima cooly shrugged. Yamaguchi wasn't too surprised by this answer.

"Eevee evolves into Umbreon and Espeon in a very similar way to the way Riolu evolves," Gurkin smiled. "They don't require a stone."

"So they evolve by bonding with their trainer as well?" Yamaguchi asked, trying to recall if there was more to it.

"It also depends on if it's day or night," Tsukishima added.

"Wow, Tsukki. You really do know everything!" Yamaguchi genuinely praised.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima flatly replied.

"Sorry Tsukki." Yamaguchi wasn't sorry. As Yamaguchi smiled at his boyfriend he couldn't help but feel like an Espeon would be a cool partner to have. They were so sleek and agile. He couldn't help but think they'd look amazing on stage. But it wasn't 100% Yamaguchi's decision what Eevee would evolve into. She also had a say in her future. With this in his mind he looked to her once more.

Eevee gave a small happy squeak as he moved to nuzzle her trainer. The action was so sweet Yamaguchi couldn't hide his smile. When the time came for her to evolve he'd let her make the decision.

"With as much as she loves you I would be surprised if she evolved into a Sylveon," Tsukishima mumbled, watching Yamaguchi dote on Eevee.

"Glaceon, Espeon, Sylveons, all of the evolutions are great and when the time comes for her to evolve I'll be happy no matter what," Yamaguchi said, giving Eevee a big hug.

"Now that's the proper way to raise a pokemon. They too have a say in their futures," Gurkinn happily agreed.

With that the trainers worked to place the rest of the stones into the box. Yamaguchi was filled with a new energy with all this talk about evolution. Riolu seemed to be on the verge of becoming a Lucario and Eevee's exciting future filled him with excitement. As he filled through items and filled boxes he worked with a spring in his step.

It was when Gurkinn called them all together to have a small break that Yamaguchi noticed it. A small metal collar was strapped around Riolu's neck. Adorned on the metal collar was a small blue stone. Riolu showed off the piece of jewelry with much flair as she approached Yamaguchi

"How long have you been wearing that? That's not yours," Yamaguchi chuckled as he bent down to remove the collar.

Yamaguchi's fingers slipped clumsy as he failed to unlatch the collar. The latch seemed to be stuck tight. He felt dread wash over him. What if this collar was important to Gurkinn?

"Um, uh!" Yamaguchi said as he fumbled with the latch a bit more.

"If everything is okay, Yamaguchi?" Gurkinn asked, looking at the panicking trainer.

"I-I'm s-sorry but it looks like Riolu got into some of your jewelry," Yamaguchi apologised, his face tomato berry red. "I-I c-can't get it off her," he added hoping this didn't upset Gurkinn.

Gurkinn gave a curious hum as he examined Riolu. "Oh, my! Uh-oh. I'm afraid we won't be able to get this off her," he gasped, looking very disappointed at the collar.

"I-I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry," Yamaguchi shouted as he apologized once more. He felt a bit of panic rush through him. How was he going to pay Gurkinn back?

"I'm the one who should be apologising to you," Gurkinn replied, a look of worry in his eyes. "I forgot I even had this old thing."

Yamagucih couldn't help but feel baffled. Why was Gurkinn sorry?

"That's an everstone, isn't it?" Tsukishima flatly asked. Sending the old man a glare.

"I'm afraid it is," Gurkinn laughed sheepishly.

"A-A-An everstone?" Yamaguchi shreaked. "Th-That means…"

"I'm afraid so," Gurkinn nodded solemnly. "As long as she's got that thing on she won't be evolving."

Yamaguchi's face went white as he looked at Riolu. He was at a loss of words. After all this talk of her evolving soon and she had to mess with an everstone.

Riolu barked proudly as she showed off her new beloved necklace. She looked like she had won herself the best prize ever. Yamaguchi couldn't find the urge to be upset with her.

"How are you going to make this up to us, old man?" Tsukishima grumbled, a bit unhappy on Yamaguchi's behalf.

"How indeed. How indeed?" Gurkinn laughed, he seemed visibly sorry for the mishap.

"No, I should have been keeping a closer eye on her," Yamaguchi sighed as he scooped her up.

Riolu gave a happy yip as she showed him the shiny smooth stone on her collar. Eevee was thrilled by how pretty it was. The two seemed blissfully unaware of what the stone actually did.

"It's very pretty," Yamaguchi sighed, not wanting to upset the two. They were right to enjoy the shimmer of the stone.

"That collar requires a key to open it so it should be around here somewhere," Gurkinn said, looking into the room that was stil three fourth full of boxes.

Silence hung as the three trainers took in the mess. The key could be anywhere.

"I'm sure it will show up eventually," Gurkinn reluctantly said with a laugh.

"It better," Tsukishima grumbled.

"And when I find it I'll be sure to send it your way," Gurkinn nodded, doing his best to stay upbeat. "So no worries."

"R-Right, who's worried," Yamaguchi said, doing his best to smile at Riolu. She just seemed so happy by her prize. Getting mad at her was pointless and there wasn't anything they could do about it in the moment. With a small shrug he gave Riolu a cuddle. Maybe having her small for a bit longer wasn't so bad.

Author Note:

As much as I'd like to add a preview for the next chapter I just don't have it finished. I am still getting settled in my new place. I just got my internet yesterday. In a few weeks I'll have time off of work and should be able to do a lot of writing then. I hope you all don't mind the wait. I'm super happy to get this chapter up now though! Poor Yamaguchi. But you have to admit that Riolu is too cute to be upset with.

Anyways, thank you all for hanging around as long as you have and for putting up with the long breaks between chapters. I hope you are all doing well despite how crazy it's been all over the world. I can't help but think that in years from now, after all this quarinte stuff has passed, I will go back to this chapter and think 'wow, I can't believe that happened' hahaha. Sometimes these author notes in my fics are like little time capsules for me when I got back to review my work. Anyways, I am going off on a tangent. You all take care and I will see you all next chapter.


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